The Past for Some the Future for Others
by IamTiffanyDaughterofHermes
Summary: Nico, Thalia, the demigods from the HOO series and the gods read the third book! What will be their reactions? Feelings towards the boy? Rated T for reasons such as... I'm paranoid! Yay! Used to be Demigods and Gods read The Titan's Curse.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! Okay, so this is my new story, I know it's an overused plot, but I really want to do it. So hate it, love it, or whatever! Everybody's coming from some time, like Thalia and Nico are coming from 4 months of Percy's disappearance. Leo, Piper, and Jason are coming from the time in the middle of their quest. Hazel and Frank are coming from right after the Capture the Flag game they played. On with the story! Also I've read so many ones when they're reading the first and the second books. I have actually memorized like the first page of the first book. Anyway, I'm gonna make it the third book. Happy Thanksgiving!  
**

**Disclaimer: I, IamTiffanyDaughterofHermes, do NOT own The Percy Jackson books and characters, and yeah!**

_Prologue_

_Thalia POV_

"Okay, Phoebe, you take right with me, Lilly and Amber take left, everybody else go down the middle. Ready?" I said to the Hunters. We were visiting Camp and tonight we were playing capture the flag. Chiron came into the middle of the creek, "You know how to play! Begin!" Phoebe and I raced around the side; I saw the campers get overwhelmed by the hunters. I told Phoebe to watch my back as I found their flag, I realized nobody was on guard, but I knew better than that. I climbed into a tree, and saw the guards, two kids from Apollo, with their bow and arrows. "Phoebe, cover me," I told her. "Okay, Thalia," she replied knowing what I meant. She walked out into the open, "Hey. Guys," she yelled up at them. I got down from the tree, and ran around the back. They put their flag in the middle of a field, I ran towards it. I could hear Phoebe yelling taunts at the guards. I was about to grab it when I saw Nico melt out of a tree. "Hey Pinecone Face, how's the hunters? Oh that's right you wouldn't know because uh, well, you're not captured with them. Since Percy's disappeared your precious hunters have let their guard down, or maybe it's just because you're leading them. No matter-"I cut him off, "Look, Death Breath, no offence, but you seriously need to work on your taunts." I looked to the trees where the guards were to see that they were watching us. Then I looked at the flag and saw it wasn't even there! Phoebe was a genius, but better get back to hand. "Hey, Death Breath, you think your all high and mighty?" I asked him, "Think again." I was about to shock him with lightning, when I passed out.

_Nico POV_

I was pretty sure she was going to shock me when she passed out and vaporized. Okay, so maybe I was a little worried, I mean normally people don't pass out and vaporize. I was about to call for help when I passed out.

_Leo POV_

Piper, Jason, and I were on Festus' back when I heard Piper scream, "Beauty Queen, what is it?" I asked her. That was not normal, even for her. "Jason just randomly passed out, and, and vanished!" she replied. "Vanished, like POOF! Or like in tiny little lights?" I asked her. "Dude, what's with the questions? Anyway, umm kinda like little tiny lights," she answered. Then I felt something slump against my back, I looked back to see Piper disappear into little tiny yellow red and orange lights. _So she wasn't lying. The colors, red, orange, and yellow, hmm. Sunset… Apollo! Yeah! Right? _ "Festus if I pass out and vaporize or whatever then land at a little park or something. K?" I told my dragon. He shot a column of flame in a way to say yes.

And then, I passed out.

_No one's POV_

The demigods all had the same image of Apollo and Hermes explaining how they got bored and found a few books from the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, then Nico and Thalia gasped saying how they knew Percy and how he disappeared, and blah, blah, blah. They continued, about how they will be going back in time to the year 2000.

Then Hazel and Frank popped in and Hermes explained it again and they gasped about how they knew a Percy and were going on a quest with him and all that stuff. Leo, Piper, and Jason all sat there having no idea what to do.

Apollo and Hermes then flashed them all to the throne room in Olympus.

"WHO ARE YOU? How dare you- Thalia? What are you doing here?" Zeus thundered **(A/N sorry couldn't help it ;P) **"Hey Pops, nice to see you too." She said. She looked at Apollo and Hermes with hatred, and they put their hands up in surrender. "Hermes and Apollo decided to bring us into the past to read about our friend's life. Uh, so we're from the year 2012," Thalia said ignoring all the stares she was getting from the gods. "Uh, hello niece, Thalia, right? Well if what you're saying is correct then we'd best be careful, don't want to mess up the future," Poseidon said. Athena almost fell out of her chair. "Di- Did you just say that? Old Barnacle Beard actually said something intelligent. Huh, you demigods work magic!" Athena said utterly surprised. Thalia snorted and then something appeared in the middle of the room. "And here are the books," Thalia walked over and picked up the first one. "Huh, The Titan's Curse. OH this one has me in it, and you I think," she pointed to Nico. Nico just sunk down in his chair. "Well, before we read I think we should at least have you introduce yourselves," Zeus said. Nico spoke up, "Um, I think that maybe you should have Hades come up here. I think he'd like to hear this." Hades then popped into the room and Poseidon took him to the side and explained everything to him. When he came back Hades stared at Nico in surprise, he was about to say something until Zeus said, "Well, demigods, introduce yourselves!"

Thalia stepped forward, "I'm Thalia, just Thalia, and I'm a daughter of Zeus." Jason looked over at her. Nico stepped forward, "I am Nico Di Angelo, and my father is Hades. Oh and he didn't break the oath, I'm actually like, 70 years old." Everybody, except Thalia, looked at him confused. "Lotus Hotel," he answered. Leo stepped forward, "I am Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, and a fire user." Everyone looked at Leo in surprise and he said, "I haven't burnt down any cities! Promise!" Piper shook her head and stepped forward, "Piper Mclean, daughter of Aphrodite and yes my dad is the actor Tristan Mclean. Oh, and I'm a charm speaker." Jason stepped forward, "Jason Grace, son of Ju- Zeus." Thalia looked over at him. "Jason?" she asked. He took out his picture and compared the girl to it. They looked exactly the same except she had a silver disk around her hair. Thalia ran over to him and hugged him, then started glaring at Hera. Hera looked surprised the _innocently_ asked, "What did I do?" "Thalia started yelling, "YOU KNOW WHAT THE HADES YOU DID! You- you took my little brother from me when I was seven years old! He was only two! This is the first time I've seen him in, what, like, ten years! You're supposed to be the family goddess? You haven't done too much of a good job of mine, in fact you tore my family apart! I looked for him for a year, and then I ran away and got turned into a freaking pine tree. My mom died in a freaking car accident and I thought my brother was dead! So, I'm gonna ask you exactly what you asked me! What did I do?" Hera looked taken aback. "Alright, keep going," she said shyly. Getting yelled at from a demigod was a new experience to her. Then Hazel spoke up, "Whoa, wait, Jason Grace? You disappeared from the legion camp! Reyna is so scared, she thinks you might be dead. What a great praetor!" "Guys, as cute as this is I'm sure the boy is overwhelmed, talk about it later!" Aphrodite screamed. Hazel looked forward as if just noticing the gods. "Oh, um, alright, I don't know why you all are using their Greek names, any way I'm Hazel Levesque daughter of Pluto." Frank decided to step forward, "Hazel I think we're the only Romans here right now. Are you guys in your Greek forms?" he asked. The gods just nodded their heads. "Okay, um, I just figured this out, but I'm Frank Zhang, and my dad is Mars, or Ares. Right?" Ares flickered to his roman form and got a splitting headache, "Ow. Alright can you two romans use the Greek names otherwise we are going to go insane?" Ares asked holding his head. They both nodded their heads, and Thalia returned to her seat next to Nico and said, "I'm reading first."

"**My Rescue Operation Goes Very Wrong,**" she started.

**OKAY! So how was that? Good? Bad? So bad you don't want to look at it? So good you an't take your eyes off of it? Ok, I might have the next one up today, i might not, i'm not quite sure.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so peoples, a few of you guys have been really nice and are ranting along with me, I don't think I will put it on hiatus. Nah, I'm not, but I may still take long times to update. Sorry, I'll update whenever I can! PS: Thalia's a loudmouth, tehehe! **

**Happy New Year! **

**Allen r: Thx for all the ideas! This'll be fun!**

**Guest (not the one who reported me): Thank you sooooo much that means a lot to me. *wipe away tears* **

**Guest #2: I will try my best to make Hera not so evil, but I hate her so that may not work out, just want to let you know that I AM trying.**

**Dedicated to all the people persuading me not to put it on hiatus**

**Disclaimer: I am NOT Rick Riordan sorry! I don't own the book. I also don't own Star Wars, and a bunch of bands that are mentioned.**

"**Percy Jackson and the Olympians the Titan's Curse" **Thalia started.

Nico groaned. He was sent some pretty weird looks

"It's just the title Nico," Hades said.

"I know. You'll figure out why I'm groaning," He replied then muttered, "Stupid, no-good hunters." Thalia heard this and smiled remembering what she said when the hunters got there.

**My Rescue Operation Goes Very Wrong**

At the same time, Thalia and Nico say, "Very wrong." Then look at each other and blush.

Aphrodite squeals.

**The Friday before winter break, my mom packed me an overnight bag and a few deadly weapons and took me to a new boarding school. We picked up my friends Annabeth and Thalia on the way.**

"Aw, thanks Perce, I consider you a friend too," Thalia said mockingly.

Jason said, "Uhh, Thalia, you know you're talking to a book. Right?"

"Whatever," she said waving it off.

**It was an eight-hour drive from New York to Bar Harbor, Maine**

Leo gasped, "_EIGHT HOURS_!"

"Yeah, it was so totally worth it," Thalia replied.

**Sleet and snow pounded the highway. Annabeth, Thalia**

"You know I feel really weird talking about myself in Percy's perspective," Thalia said.

**And I hadn't seen each other in months, but between the blizzard and the thought of what we were about to do, we were too nervous to talk much.**

"Aw, your nervous about saving me," Nico whispered to Thalia.

Hazel was surprised to see her brother talking to the Greeks like they were family. _I'll ask him about it later._ She thought.

"Will you shut up?" Thalia asked.

**Except for my mom. She talks **_**more **_**when she's nervous. By the time we finally got to Westover Hall, it was getting dark, and she'd told Annabeth and Thalia every embarrassing baby story there was to tell about me.**

"You never told me that Thals!" Nico said.

"Sorry, Death Breath. He's got some dirt on me, he did blackmail to my blackmail. And he wouldn't do anything to his dear Wise Girl," Thalia replied thinking about her fear of heights and then about the fact that everybody would find out. She inwardly groaned.

Hermes whistled, "This kid is awesome."

Athena was thinking about what Thalia said _his dear Wise Girl_? _What the heck could that mean? That's probably one of my daughters, Thalia, Percy, and… Annabeth! He better not hurt her! They have to be just friends!_

**Thalia wiped the fog off the car window and peered outside. "Oh, yeah. This'll be fun."**

Apollo and Hermes smirked.

**Westover Hall looked like an evil knight's castle. It was all black stone, with towers and slit windows and a big set of wooden double doors. It stood on a snowy cliff overlooking this big frosty forest on one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.**

"**Are you sure you don't want me to wait?" my mother asked.**

"**No, thanks, Mom," I said. "I don't know how long it will take. We'll be okay."**

"**But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy."**

**I hoped I wasn't blushing. It was bad enough I had to depend on my mother to drive me to my battles.**

Everybody looked at Thalia expectantly, "He was."

"**It's okay, Ms. Jackson." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. Her blond hair was tucked into a ski cap and her gray eyes were the color of the ocean. "We'll keep him out of trouble."**

"Kinda failed at that didn't ya?" Nico asked.

Thalia shot him a death glare. "It's not my fault he decided to play hero," Thalia replied.

"And save our lives? What's so wrong about that Pinecone Face?" Nico questioned innocently.

"He messed the whole freaking plan up!" Thalia answered through her teeth.

**My mom seemed to relax a little. She thinks Annabeth is the most level headed demigod ever to hit eighth grade.**

**She's sure Annabeth often keeps me from getting killed. She's right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.**

Hazel and Frank snorted.

"**All right, dears," my mom said. "Do you have everything you need?"**

"**Yes, Ms. Jackson," Thalia said. "Thanks for the ride"**

Nico gasped, "Thalia, you were being polite!?"

"**Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"**

"**Mom-"**

"**Your ambrosia and nectar, Percy? And a golden drachma in case you need to contact camp?"**

"What's a drachma?" Frank asked no one in particular.

Thalia replied, "Greek currency. Why? What do you guys have?"

"Denarii, right?" Nico asked.

"Yeah," Hazel replied.

"And how would you know this Zombie Boy?" Thalia asked cautiously.

"Oh, um… I've talked to some of the Roman heroes in Elysium," he lied shooting warning glances to Frank and Hazel.

Thalia didn't look convinced, but she kept reading.

"**Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on, guys." **

"That rude little child! Talking to his mom like that!" Hera huffed.

**She looked a little hurt, and I was sorry about that,**

"He better be!" Hera said in annoyance.

Hephaestus was about to say something but Thalia spoke up first, "You want to hear what's rude? Rude is stealing a little girl's brother! Rude is kicking your own son off a mountain, just because he was ugly! Hera, rude should be your middle name. You can hate me all you want; you already hate my best friend, so I technically despise you worth everything!"

Everybody was a little surprised at Thalia's sudden outburst. Hephaestus and Leo looked at her gladly about how she stood up for him/his dad.

Thalia looked at Nico and muttered so he could only hear, "My gods, I'm turning into Percy. Pissing the gods off like that!" he started laughing so hard and Thalia started snickering a bit. Everybody looked at them strangely but Thalia just started to read again.

**But I was ready to be out of that car. If my mom told one more story about how cute I looked in the bathtub when I was three years old, I was going to burrow myself into the snow and freeze myself to death.**

**Annabeth and Thalia followed me outside. The wind blew straight through my coat like ice daggers.**

**Once my mother's car was out of sight, Thalia said, "Your mom is so cool, Percy."**

Thalia stiffened as she read the next part**.**

"**She's pretty okay," I admitted. "What about you? You ever get in touch with your mom?"**

**As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn't. Thalia was great at giving evil looks, what with the punk clothes she always wears-the ripped-up army jacket, black leather pants and chain jewelry, and the black eyeliner and those intense blue eyes. But the look she gave me now was a perfect "ten". "If that was any of your business, Percy-"**

Slowly Thalia started to grin as she read that part.

"**We'd better get inside," Annabeth interrupted. "Grover will be waiting." **

**Thalia looked at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made him send the distress call."**

**I stared up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good," I guessed. **

"Hey!" Nico yelled.

"You know what, Perce was actually right," Thalia said smirking.

"Yeah," Nico agreed until he noticed what she said, "Hey!" he repeated.

**The oak doors groaned open, and the three of us stepped into the entry hall in a swirl of snow.**

**All I could say was, "Whoa."**

"Percy's famous statement. Whoa!" Nico exclaimed.

Frank looked at Hazel, "I think we know a different Percy Jackson." Hazel started laughing at Frank's face, because he looked completely shocked. "I don't think so," she replied.

**The place was huge. The walls were lined with battle flags and weapon displays: antique rifles, battle axes, and a bunch of other stuff. I mean, I knew Westover was a military school, but the decorations were like overkill. Literally.**

**My hand went to my pocket, where I kept my lethal ballpoint pen,**

Almost everybody snorted or laughed at this except: Thalia, Nico, Hazel, Poseidon, and Frank.

**Riptide. I could already sense something wrong in this place. Something dangerous. Thalia was rubbing her silver bracelet, her favorite magic item. I knew we were thinking the same thing. A fight was coming.**

Nico snorted while Thalia said, "Got that right."

**Annabeth started to say, "I wonder where-"**

**The doors slammed shut behind us.**

"Creepy," Apollo said in a sing-song voice.

He got slapped in the back of the head by Artermis.

"**Oo-kay," I said. "Guess we'll be staying a while."**

**I could hear music echoing from the other end of the hall. It sounded like dance music.**

Nico snorted, "Nooo, it was funeral music, jeez." He rolled his eyes.

"Dude, you're talking to a book," Leo said to Nico.

Nico sent a skeleton at Leo and Leo burnt it to husk.

As it crumbled to the floor Leo said, "Nice try."

Nico was about to lunge at him but Thalia held him back.

Piper smacked Leo in the back of the head, "Are you trying to get killed? He's a freaking son of Hades!"

**We stashed our overnight bags behind a pillar and started down the hall. We hadn't gone very far when I heard footsteps on the stone floor, and a man and women marched out of the shadows to intercept us.**

**They both had short grey hair and black military-style uniforms with red trims.**

"It _is_ a military school," Leo and Nico both said. Leo mumbled after, "Been to enough of those places."

Hephaestus looked worriedly at Leo because he heard that, but if anyone saw it, they didn't let on.

**The woman had a wispy mustache and the man was clean shaven, which seemed kind of backward to me. They both walked stiffly, like they had broomsticks taped to their spines.**

"Never thought of it like that, but I guess he's right," Nico said quietly.

"**Well?" the woman demanded. "What are you doing here?"**

"**Um…" I realized I hadn't planned for this. I'd been so focused on getting to Grover and finding out what was wrong, I hadn't considered that someone might question three kids sneaking into the school at night.**

**We hadn't talked at all in the car about how we would get inside. I said, "Ma'am, we just-"**

"**Ha!" the man snapped, which made me jump. "Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be **_**eee-jected**_**!"**

"Why'd you say it like that?" Piper asked Thalia.

"That's what it says here it goe DASH JECTED! And that's how he sounded," she replied.

**He had an accent—French, maybe.**

"Wow, that's what he was worried about?" Half the gods said.

**He pronounced his**_** J**_** like in **_**Jacques**_**. He was tall, with a hawkish face. His nostrils flared when he spoke, which made it really hard not to look up his nose, and his eyes were two different colors—one brown, one blue—like an alley cat's. **

"Nice description Kelp head, but shouldn't you be busy like making up a plan?" Thalia asked.

"Is he a monster?" Frank asked. Nobody answered.

**I figured he was about to toss us into the snow, but then Thalia stepped forward and did something very weird.**

Everybody looked at her curious, and then she said, "What? I'm a weird girl."

Nico muttered, "You could say that again."

Thalia tapped her shield, Aegis, then started rubbing as if to polish it. She said, "What was that, Death Breath?"

Nico looked utterly terrified, he said, "Um, I said not as bad Perce."

"Not what I heard."

"Fine! Sorry Thals."

Hazel almost choked, "Di- did my brother just say _sorry_? Thalia, you're a miracle worker! One time he almost smashed Terminus and nobody could get him to say sorry, not even Reyna!''

Thalia looked at the romans, "Did you just say that Nicky here has been to the Roman Camp? 'Cause last time I checked, he was a Greek."

"I've visited a few times."

"ENOUGH! Talk about this later please! Thalia continue reading," Zeus interrupted.

**She snapped her fingers. The sound was sharp and loud. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt a gust of wind ripple out from her hand, across the room. It washed over all of us, making the banners rustle on the walls.**

Most of the gods looked at her surprised. "You can control the mist?" Athena asked. Thalia nodded.

Most of the demigods were utterly confused.

"**Oh, but we're not visitors, sir," Thalia said. "We go to school here. You remember: I'm Thalia. And this is Annabeth and Percy. We're in eighth grade."**

Leo looked at Thalia in shock, "You mean like the force where you can go 'These are not the droids you're looking for'?"

Thalia laughed and said, "Yeah, I guess I could."

**The male teacher narrowed his two-colored eyes. I didn't know what Thalia was thinking. Now we'd probably get punished for lying **_**and**_** thrown into the snow.**

Thalia shook her head, "Why did he ever doubt me?"

**But the man seemed to be hesitating.**

**He looked at his colleague. "Ms.**

Thalia paused, "Nico how the heck do you say this person's name?"

He looked at her, "Is it Thorn or Gottschalk?"

"Gottschalk got it."

Leo started laughing. Everybody looked at him, "Gottschalk, what type of person has the name Gottschalk? Especially a teacher? Nobody?"

**Gottschalk, do you know these students?" **

**Despite the danger we were in, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. A teacher named **_**Got Chalk?**_

Nico and Thalia looked at Leo and started laughing. "OH NO! You think like Kelp Head! You must have some disease!" Nico screamed. Thalia pantomimed a faint.

Hazel and Frank looked at them. "What's so wrong about Percy? He seems like a pretty smart guy."

Nico and Thalia started laughing so hard they almost fell on the floor. "He chooses to be smart; sometimes I think he acts dumb just to annoy Annabeth," Thalia said. Nico gasped, "Did you just call Perce smart? I mean the guy you call Kelp Head smart? The world is ending!"

Zeus thought to himself, _and they call me a drama king?__** (**__**A/N: I'm not calling the **_**king**_** of the gods a queen, sorry)**_

**The woman blinked, like someone had just woken her up from a trance. "I… yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at us. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"**

**Before we could answer, I heard more footsteps and Grover ran up, breathless. "You made it! You-"**

"Oh, Grover," Nico sighed.

Thalia gasped, "I figured out a way to tell him he is the best freaking satyr in the world! You know how he found Luke, Annabeth, and me?" Nico nodded. "And how he found Percy, the most powerful demigod, like, ever?'' He nodded again. "And how he found you and Bianca? He found all the Greek children of the Big Three!"

Nico nodded his head.

**He stopped short when he saw the teachers. "Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh-"**

"Get ready for the worst lie ever people!" Nico exclaimed.

''**What **_**is**_** it, Mr. Underwood?'' said the man. His tone made it clear that he detested Grover. ''What do you mean they made it? These students live here.''**

**Grover swallowed. ''Yes, sir. Of course, Dr. Thorn. I just meant, I'm so glad they made… the punch for the dance! The punch is great. And they made it!"**

"Wow, you're right Nico, he is terrible at lying," Jason said. Everybody jumped; he hadn't really talked that much yet.

"Can I get through at least half a page without you guys interrupting?" Thalia asked slightly annoyed. The she added, "I'm not mad at you Jason, I'm mad at the kid who has been to both camps. Secretly." Looking pointedly in Nico's direction

**Dr. Thorn glared at us. I decided one of his eyes had to be fake. The brown one? The blue one? He looked like he wanted to pitch us off the castle's highest tower, but then Mrs. Gottschalk said dreamily, "Yes, the punch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not to leave the gymnasium again!''**

**We didn't wait to be told twice. We left with a lot of "Yes, Ma'ams" and "Yes, sirs" and a couple of salutes, just because it seemed like the thing to do.**

**Grover hustled us down the hall in the direction of the music.**

**I could feel the teachers' eyes on my back, but I walked closely to Thalia and asked in a low voice, "How did you do that finger-snap thing?"**

"**You mean the Mist?" Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet?"**

**An uncomfortable lump formed in my throat.**

**Chiron was our head trainer at camp, but he'd never shown me anything like that. Why had he shown Thalia and not me?**

It seriously feels weird talking about me like that," Thalia interrupted herself.

**Grover hurried us to a door that had GYM written on the glass. Even with my dyslexia, I could read that much.**

"**That was close!" Grover said. "Thank the gods you got here!"**

**Annabeth and Thalia both hugged Grover. I gave him a big high five.**

"How can a high five be big?" Leo asked.

Thalia turned to Nico, "Will you do the honors?"

"Of course"

They high five each other the way Percy and Grover did.

"Oh," Leo said in realization after watching them.

**It was good to see him after so many months.**

Hera and Hestia smiled, "it's good he cares about his friends so much."

**He'd gotten a little taller and had sprouted a few more whiskers, but otherwise he looked like he always did when he passed for a human- a red cap on his curly brown hair to hide his goat horns, baggy jeans and sneakers with fake feet to hide his furry legs and hooves. He was wearing a black T-shirt that took me a few seconds to read. It said WESTOVER HALL: GRUNT. I wasn't sure whether it was, like, Grover's rank or maybe just the school motto.**

"Rank," Nico said answering the questioning looks.

"Oh my gods, he's turning into a valley girl!" Thalia exclaimed.

Jason looked at her, "So are you, Thalia. _Oh my gods!" _He mimicked her. Thalia gave her "perfect ten" glare at Jason.

He slunk back into his seat and muttered, "Percy's right."

"Hey, Nico, what are all the ranks?" Leo asked him.

"Rat, Grunt, Disappointment, and Annoying," Nico tried to remembered. "I think. I was in Rat." _**(A/N It was kind of hard to come up with those, but I've always wondered what the other ranks were)**_

"**So what's the emergency?" I asked.**

**Grover took a deep breath, "I found two."**

"**Two half-bloods?" Thalia asked, amazed. "Here?"**

**Grover nodded. **

**Finding one half-blood was rare enough. This year, Chiron had put the satyrs on emergency overtime and sent them all over the country, scouring schools from fourth grade through high school for possible recruits.**

"Wait, so the fa- satyrs actually do something at your camp?" Frank asked.

All the demigods from CHB nodded.

Hazel looked deep in thought, "Explains why he was so, um, horrified to see what they do at our camp."

"What do they do at your camp?" Thalia asked.

Hazel sheepishly answered, "Live on the side of the road, and ask for money."

Nico nodded his head, "Perce was too? Good I wasn't the only one."

**These were desperate times. We were losing campers. We needed all the new fighters we could find. The problem was there just weren't that many demigods out there.**

"What were you losing them too?" Hades asked.

"Oh, uh, Kronos," Thalia said sheepishly.

All the gods looked horrified. "What!? We have to talk about this right now!" Zeus yelled.

"Dad, uh, it's ok. He's, uh, gone now. At least where were from," Thalia said.

"**A brother and a sister," he said. "They're ten and twelve. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong**.

"You bet to Hades and back that I am!" Nico yelled.

"I think he meant smell," Thalia retorted.

Athena looked confused, "Wait, but he said there was two. What happened to the other Nico?"

Thalia was vigorously shaking her head while she said this but Athena ignored her.

Nico hung his head. "You'll find out. I'm sure it says in the book."

Before Nico could start crying or something Thalia started to read again.

**We're running out of time, though I need help."**

"**Monsters?"**

"**One." Grover looked nervous. "He suspects. I don't think he's positive yet, but this is last day of term. I'm sure he won't let them leave campus without finding out. It may be out last chance! Every time I try to get close to them, he's always there, blocking me. I don't know what to do!"**

**Grover looked at Thalia desperately. I tried not to feel upset by that. Used to be, Grover looked at me for answers, but Thalia had seniority.**

"Gods, he's making me sound like an old woman!" Thalia said.

"How old are you?" Demeter asked. "You look scrawny, do you eat cereal?"

Hades and Nico groaned, "Jeez woman! Would you stop talking about cereal for a day?!" Hades asked.

"Um, technically, I'm like seventeen or eighteen, but, oh! I forgot to mention, I'm in the Hunters so I'm fifteen."

"Are you lieutenant?" Artermis asked. Thalia nodded.

"What happened to Zoe?"

"You'll see."

**Not just because her dad was Zeus. Thalia had more experience than any of us with fending off monsters in the real world.**

"**Right," she said. "These half-bloods are at the dance?"  
Grover nodded.**

"**Then let's dance," Thalia said. "Who's the monster?"**

"**Oh," Grover said, and looked around nervously. "You just met him. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn."**

"Duh duh duh," Hermes and Apollo said dramatically.

Artermis and Athena smacked them in the head.

**Weird thing with military schools: the kids go absolutely nuts when there's a special event and they get to be out of uniform. I guess it's because everything's so strict the rest of the time, they feel like they've got to overcompensate or something.**

Thalia looked shocked, "That was a big word for Kelp Head. Hope he didn't get hurt thinking about it." Nico, Hazel, and Frank snorted. Leo, Piper, and Jason started laughing a little. The gods looked shocked that Percy's friends would make fun of him like that.

**There were black and red balloons all over the gym floor, and guys were kicking them in each other's faces, or trying to strangle** **each other with** **the crepe-paper streamers taped to the wall.**

"Boys," Artermis muttered.

"Just wait till you see the girls Milady," Thalia said disgusted.

**Girls moved around in football huddles, the way they always do, wearing lots of makeup and spaghetti-top and brightly colored pants and shoes that looked like torture devices. Every once in a while they'd surround some poor guy like a pack of piranhas, shrieking and giggling, and then finally moved on, the guy would have ribbons in his hair and a bunch of lipstick graffiti all over his face.**

Artermis looked utterly disgusted.

**Some of the older guys looked more like me- uncomfortable, hanging out at the edges of the gym and trying to hide, like any minute they might have to fight for their lives. Of course, in my case, it was true….**

"**There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers. "Bianca and Nico Di Angelo.''**

Nico groaned again.

Thalia smirked, "OH, Niccy dear, what on Earth were you arguing about?"

Nico blushed, "Shut up, Thalia."

"Why would I do that?''

"Can I just go hide in a hole during this whole reading the books thing?"

"Why?"

"Because, I'm annoying in this one, a brat in the next one and Uncle Poseidon is going to want to kill me in the last one."

"O-o-o-kay…. Nope," Thalia said popping the 'p'.

"UGH!"

**The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive skin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. The boy was shuffling some kind of trading cards.**

Nico sank lower in his chair and Thalia smiled.

**His sister seemed to be scolding him about something. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong.**

Nico smiled sadly, "She did that a lot."

Hades was confused, _did? It should be does! Unless… NO! You will not think like that! _

**Annabeth said, "Do they . . . I mean, have you told them?"**

"Tsk, tsk, silly Annabeth. Doesn't she know that gets them killed?" Hermes joked.

"Yes I'm sure she does. Now shut up!" Athena replied.

"Geez woman, no need to get touchy," Hermes mumbled under his breath.

**Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."**

**He looked at me, and I nodded. I'd never really understood what half-bloods "smell" like to monsters and satyrs,**

"Yeah, do any of you know what we smell like?" Thalia asked the gods. _**(A/N: When I say gods I mean all of them, when I mean the guys its male gods and when I mean the girls it'll say goddesses.)**_

The demigods all nodded their heads; "I've been told I smell" rang throughout the room.

They shook their heads. Yes, even Athena.

Before Athena could start going on a rant about how she thought they all might smell like, Poseidon looked at Thalia desperately saying, "PLEASE READ!" She nodded her head quickly.

**But I knew your scent could get you killed. And the more powerful a demigod you became, the more you smelled like a monster's lunch.**

"I'm pretty sure it'd be the other way around for him. Except the eating part," Nico snorted.

"Jeez Nico you think so highly of him. Why?" Thalia asked Nico.

"Well, he pinned me down, almost choked me, before he was even awake. After one of his little swims, he took down one of my dad's army, my dad, and made the river Styx explode, held back the Lethe so its waters wouldn't touch us. I wouldn't be surprised if he collapsed a glacier," Nico counted on his fingers.

"And why would he be doing all of that?" Poseidon asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.

"Eh, you'll see."

"I'm beginning to really hate those words."

"**So let's grab them and get out of here," I said.**

**I started forward, but Thalia put her hand on my shoulder. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn, had slipped out of a doorway near the bleachers and was standing near the Di Angelo siblings. He nodded coldly in our direction. His blue seemed to glow.**

**Judging from his expression, I guessed Thorn hadn't been fooled by Thalia's trick with the Mist after all. He suspected who we were. He was just waiting to see why we were here.**

"And then he'll ATTACK!" Leo screamed.

Everybody jumped, and Poseidon paled.

"He won't actually attack right? I mean, how would you know?" He asked Leo.

Leo shrugged, "Just guessin'."

Poseidon calmed down, "Well, ok then. Continue."

"**Don't look at the kids," Thalia ordered. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."  
"How?"**

"**We're three powerful half-bloods. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids."**

"**Dancing?" Annabeth asked.**

**Thalia nodded. She cocked her ear to the music and made a face. "Ugh. Who chose the Jesse McCartney?"**

"Who the Hades listens to Jesse McCartney?" Leo asked.

Thalia made a triumphant face. "YES! You have good taste, somebody actually has-"

"Maroon 5 is awesome," Leo cut off Thalia.

Thalia made a face, "You know what? What I just said about Leo having good taste." _**(A/N No offense to Maroon 5 likers. I was actually listening to them as I wrote this ;P)**_

"Has anybody even heard of Green Day? Coldplay? 30 Seconds to Mars?" Nico asked.

Thalia gave a triumphant smile. "OK, Death Breath has good taste." All the other demigods looked confused.

"I like Maroon 5," Jason said. "I have no idea how we're related. No offense."  
"None taken. Neither do I sometimes…" Thalia shrugged.

Apollo looked at them. "Ok, even though I love talking about music, can we get back to the book now?"

"Oh, I suppose so."

**Grover looked hurt, "I did."**

"Seriously? I thought one of the girls chose that," Nico said.

"**Oh my gods, Grover. That is so lame. Can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"**

"**Green who?"**

"**Never mind. Let's dance."**

"**But I can't dance!"**

"**You can if I'm leading," Thalia said. "Come on, goat boy."**

**Grover yelped as Thalia grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor.**

**Annabeth smiled.**

"**What?" I asked.**

"**Nothing. It's just cool to have Thalia back."**

"Good to be back," Thalia smiled.

"You're crazy," Nico replied.

"I know!" Thalia replied.

Nico rolled his eyes.

**Annabeth had grown taller than me since last summer, which I found kind of disturbing. She used to wear no jewelry except for her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace, but now she wore little silver earrings shaped like owls-the symbol of her other, Athena.**

Athena smiled.

**She pulled off her ski cap, and her long blond hair tumbled down her shoulders. It made her look older, for some reason.**

"**So…" I tried to think of something to say. **_**Act natural**_**, Thalia had told us. When you're a half-blood on a dangerous mission, what the heck is natural?**

Hades turned to Poseidon, "I like your son, he doesn't swear in my name. Do you know how annoying that is? Nobody says Holy Poseidon!"

"Yes, well, I like my son too," Poseidon replied.

Hera said, "Well I would hope so, he's your son."

"**Um, design any good buildings lately?"**

"That'll get her talking," Piper laughed.

**Annabeth's eyes lit up, the way they always did when she talked about architecture. "Oh my gods, Percy. At my new school, I get to take 3-D design as an elective, and there's this cool computer program…"**

"Geez, he's actually listening to her? Wow, they are really good friends," Leo said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Athena asked him.

"Oh, uh, nothing!" he squeaked.

**She went on to explain how she'd designed this huge monument that she wanted to build at Ground Zero in Manhattan. She talked about structural supports and facades and stuff, and I tried to listen. I knew she wanted to be a super architect when she grew up- she loves math and historical buildings and all that- but I hardly understood a word she was saying.**

**The truth was I was kind of disappointed to hear that she liked her new school so much. It was the first time she'd gone to school in New York. I'd been hoping to see her more often. It was a boarding school in Brooklyn, and she and Thalia were both attending, close enough to Camp Half-Blood that Chiron could help if they got in any trouble. Because it was an all-girls school, and I was going to MS-54 in Manhattan, I hardly ever saw them.**

"**Yeah, uh, cool," I said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"**

**Her face got dark. "Well, maybe, if I don't-"**

"**Hey!" Thalia called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all over himself, kicking Thalia in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die.**

Thalia paused to rub her shins as if remembering that.  
"He's got some strong fake feet," Thalia remembered.

A few people snickered until she glared at them.

**At least his feet were fake. Unlike me, he had an excuse for being clumsy.**

"**Dance, you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."**

Nico said, "Oh yeah, I remember them. I pointed them out to Bianca, and she said that they looked weird." He smiled sadly.

**I looked nervously at Annabeth, then at the group of girls who were roaming the gym.**

Piper gasped, "He didn't."

"**Well?" Annabeth said.**

"**Um, who should I ask?"  
**Piper groaned, "He did."

**She punched me in the gut. "**_**Me,**_** Seaweed Brain."**

"**Oh. Oh, right."**

**So we went onto the dance floor, and I looked over to see how Thalia and Grover were doing things. I put one hand on Annabeth's hip, and she clasped my other hand like she was about to judo throw me.**

"She probably could," Thalia chuckled.

"Then why doesn't she?" Athena asked.

"Oh, she probably has," Thalia replied.

"**I'm not going to bite," she told me. "Honestly, Percy. Don't you guys have dances at your school?"**

**I didn't answer. The truth was we did. But I'd never, like, actually **_**danced**_** at one. I was usually one of the guys playing basketball in the corner.**

"He plays basketball?" Nico asked.

"I don't know, I've only known him a little longer than you," Thalia answered.

**We shuffled around for a few minutes. I tried to concentrate on little things, like the crepe-paper streamers and punch bowl-anything but the fact that Annabeth was taller than me, and my hands were sweaty and probably gross, and I kept stepping on her toes.**

"**What were you saying earlier?" I asked. "Are you having trouble at school or something?"**

Leo snorted, "Annabeth having trouble in _school?_ Is he crazy?"

"Yes," Nico, Thalia, Frank, and Hazel said at the same time. Everybody looked surprised at the fact that they said that.

"What? We're the only ones here who know him. We even talked about having him checked, but he said he would after the Stoll's get checked. And they're pretty stubborn."

"M- Ares came to our War Games, and Percy talked _back _to him," Hazel said.

Ares looked a little shocked at that. "What'd the runt do?"

"Ares! I think that's _very_ brave. I thought you liked demigods with attitude," Aphrodite interrupted. Hazel shot Aphrodite a grateful look.

**She pursed her lips. "It's not that. It's my dad."**

"**Uh-oh." I knew Annabeth had a rocky relationship with her father. "I thought it was getting better with you two. Is it your stepmom again?"**

**Annabeth sighed. "He decided to move. Just when I was getting settled in New York, he took this stupid new job researching for World War I book. In **_**San Francisco."**_

"What's so wrong about San Francisco? That's were our camp is!" Frank asked.

Thalia looked at them. "That's also where Mount Tam is. Maybe you guys watch over that, and the Greek camp watches over Olympus, or something. I'm not quite sure."

"Oh," Frank sighed.

**She said this the same way she might say **_**Fields of Punishment**_** or**_** Hades's gym shorts. **_

Hades yelled, "Hey!" Everybody else was laughing at his expression. Including Hazel and Nico.

"**So he wants you to move out there with him?" I asked. **

"**To the other side of the country," she said miserably. "And half-bloods can't live in San Francisco. He should know that."**

"**What? Why not?"**

**Annabeth rolled her eyes. Maybe she thought I was kidding. "You know. It's right **_**there**_**."**

"**Oh." I said. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I didn't want to sound stupid. **

"He can do that by himself. Not all the time, but most the time," Thalia said.

"**So… you'll go back to living at camp or what?"**

"**It's more important than that, Percy. I… probably should tell you something."**

**Suddenly she froze. "They're gone."**

"**What?"**

**I followed her gaze. The bleachers. The two half-blood kids, Bianca and Nico, were no longer there. The door next to the bleachers was wide open. Dr. Thorn was nowhere in sight.**

"**We have to get Thalia and Grover!" Annabeth looked around frantically. "Oh, where'd they dance off to? Come on!"**

**She ran through the crowd. I was about to follow when a mob of girls got in my way. I maneuvered around them to avoid the ribbon-and-lipstick treatment, and by the time, I was free, Annabeth had disappeared.**

Hazel snorted. "Imagine what Percy would look like if he hadn't been able to escape the 'treatment'."

Frank, Thalia, and Nico all started laughing.

**I turned a full circle, looking for her or Thalia and Grover. Instead, I saw something that chilled my blood.**

"Duh, duh, DUH!" Apollo and Hermes yelled. Artermis shot both of them a dirty look.

"Just trying to ease the tension in here," Hermes mumbled. Athena wacked him over the head.

"OW!" He yelled.

"It hurt?" Athena asked. Hermes nodded. "Good. Thalia continue."

**About fifty feet away, lying on the gym floor, was a floppy green cap just like the one Bianca di Angelo had been wearing.**

Hades was gripping his chair. "I swear, if he does anything to you and Bianca…" he left a threat hanging in the air, directed to no one.

**Near it were a few scattered trading cards. Then I caught a glimpse of Dr. Thorn. He was hurrying out a door at the opposite end of the gym, steering the di Angelo kids by the scruffs of their necks, like kittens.**

Hades growled, and Nico rubbed his neck.

**I couldn't see Annabeth, but I knew she'd be heading the other way, looking for Thalia and Grover. **

**I almost ran after her, and then I thought, **_**Wait.**_

**I remembered what Thalia had said to me in the entry hall, looking at me all puzzled when I asked about the finger-snap trick: **_**Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet?**_** I thought about the way Grover had turned to her, expecting her to save the day.**

"What, does he hate me?" Thalia asked.

"No, he's jealous, even I can see that Thalia," Jason said.

Thalia looked a little surprised. "Why the Hades is it so easy to open up to him, but not the other way around?" she asked.

**Not that I resented Thalia. She was cool. It wasn't her fault her dad was Zeus and she got all the attention. . . .**

"So it's my fault now?" Zeus asked.

"No, no it's not. By this time, he'd already gone on two quests. With Annabeth and Grover, so he's used to them looking to him for answers. He's not used to the fact I'm getting the attention," Thalia said, trying to keep her dad from getting mad.

**Still, I didn't need to run after her to solve every problem. Besides, there wasn't time. The di Angelos were in danger. They might be long gone by the time I found my friends. I knew monsters. I could handle this myself.**

"I'm so glad he has faith in us," Nico said sarcastically.

"Well, he was right. You would've just confused him, by saying, 'Wow, you're the Manticore! You've got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!' Is that right little Death Breath?" Thalia asked. Poseidon, Hades, Zeus, and Athena all paled.

"Did you just say that Dr. Thorn is a manticore?" Poseidon asked. Thalia pretended to zip her lips, and then throw something over her shoulder.

Nico looked at her, "You actually remember?"

Everybody, except the four gods, started laughing. Thalia smiled.

**I took Riptide out of my pocket and ran after Dr. Thorn. The door led into a dark hallway. I heard sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful grunt.**

Hades looked murderous. "What did he do?"

Nico smiled sheepishly, "Led me into the corner of a wall."

**I uncapped Riptide.**

**The pen grew in my hands until I held a bronze Greek sword about three feet long with a leather-bound grip. The blade glowed faintly, casting a golden light on the rows of lockers.**

**I jogged down the corridor, but when I got to the other end, no one was there. I opened a door and found myself back in the main entry hall. I was completely turned around. I didn't see Dr. Thorn anywhere, but there on the opposite side of the room were the di Angelo kids. They stood frozen in horror, staring right at me.**

"Not at you, behind you silly Percy!" Nico said calmly.

**I advanced slowly, lowering the tip of my sword. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."**

**They didn't answer. Their eyes were full of fear. What was wrong with them?**

"Everything!" Thalia yelled. "At least, the little boy. The girl was awesome."

Nico looked at her. "Really Thalia? Really?" His voice sounded as if he were about to cry and he looked hurt.

Thalia put an arm around him and ruffled his hair, "Nah, they're both pretty awesome."

Nico straightened his hair and said, "Better…"

**Where was Dr. Thorn?**

"Behind him," Nico answered.

Jason looked at them, "Are you going to answer every single question he asks?"

Nico and Thalia looked at each other, "Yes."

"We're never going to finish this!" Jason groaned.

**Maybe he'd sensed the presence of Riptide and retreated. Monsters hated celestial bronze weapons.**

"**My name's Percy."**

"Nooooo, your name's Thalia," Leo said.

"That's what it says in the book," Thalia said.

A look of realization crossed his face.

**I said, trying to keep my voice level. "I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."**

**Bianca's eyes widened. Her fists clenched. Only too late did I realize what her look meant. She wasn't afraid of me. She was trying to warn me.**

**I whirled around and something went **_**WHIIISH!**_** Pain exploded in my shoulder. A force like a huge hand yanked me backward and slammed me to the wall. **

**I slashed with my sword but there was nothing to hit.**

**A cold laugh echoed through the hall.**

"**Yes, Perseus **_**Jackson**_**," Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the J in my last name. "I know who you are."**

**I tried to free my shoulder. My coat and shirt were pinned to the wall by some kind of spike-a black dagger-like projectile about a foot long. It had grazed the skin of my shoulder as it passed through my clothes, and the cut burned. I'd felt something like this before. Poison.**

"How the hell has he felt poison before?" Poseidon asked.

Thalia and Nico shrugged, "Must've been before we came in." Thalia said.

"Ok, you know what Hades? I'll kill the monster with you," Poseidon said.

**I forced myself to concentrate. I would **_**not**_** pass out.**

"Well, he's stubborn. In this occasion, that's a good thing,"

**A dark silhouette moved toward us. Dr. Thorn stepped into the dim light. He still looked human, but his face was ghoulish. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes reflected the light of my sword.**

"**Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances."**

**I tried to swing my sword again, but he was just out of reach.**

_**WHIIISH!**_** A second projectile shot out from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn. He didn't appear to move. It was as if someone invisible were standing behind him, throwing knives.**

"Wow, Kelp Head, it's called a tail," Thalia said.

**Next to me, Bianca yelped. The second thorn impaled itself in the stone wall, half an inch from her face.**

Hades growled.

"**All three of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw**

Hades gripped his chair. "Who's next? I want to know if my kids are alright!"

Jason spoke up, "I'll read."

Once Jason got the book from Thalia, there was a bright light that filled the room, and two people fell from the ceiling.

_**OK! So, you people are awesome! You know that right? I will be starting the next chapter soon… The beginning of hyper Nico! Yay! I miss him, but it will be fun to write Hazel's expression (is that the word I'm looking for?) for the hyperness of him. **_

_**Any idea of who is coming in? Anyway, leave a review to let me know if you liked it, and who you think it might be. Favorite and follow! I sound like one of those YouTube people: favorite and subscribe! **_

_**Happy New Year!  
I need to go to sleep right now. I have a major headache, and I have to get up at like 7 tomorrow, its 12:32 right now. IamTiffanyDaughterofHermes, signing off for tonight.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey ok! So, you guys have sent in your guesses, and a few of you guys got it. Just not the age, he he. Ok, so I have many ideas, and most of them come from allen r! So thank you!  
Thank you everyone who reviewed. And like I said in the chapter before this, I will try to update as often as I can, but I may not be able to every week, I'm sorry.**

**Disclaimer:**

**Rick: NO!  
Me: Please *puppy dog eyes with tears threatening to fall***

**Rick: No, it's mine.**

**Me: You're as mean as Kronos!**

**So as you see from that display above, I do not… own… PJO. *Burst into tears, then smiles* which means I won't be hated by a bunch of fangirls for making *SPOILER ALERT* Percy and Annabeth falling in Tarturus. MWAHAHAH**

**(Yeah, I'm crazy.)**

_-Line Break since I have no idea how to do one-_

_Hades gripped his chair. "Who's next? I want to know if my kids are alright!"_

_Jason spoke up, "I'll read."_

_Once Jason got the book from Thalia, there was a bright light that filled the room, and two people fell from the ceiling._

_-Line Break since I have no idea how to do one-_

Two kids each about eight years old laid on the ground groaning. Then the girl stood up, her grey eyes looking everywhere. She looked very surprised to see the gods, and then she looked to the couch.

She gasped, "Thalia! Wha- w- what happened? You were turned into a tree last year!"

Thalia smiled. Everybody looked at Thalia, wondering who the girl was, except Athena. "Hey, Annie. Who'd you pick up along the way? BTW, it's a long story."

The girl looked confused, "Who I picked up on the way?" She turned around to see a boy with black hair, groaning and sitting up. He had one of the sleeves on his jacket rolled up, and if you looked closely you could see a few bruises. But nobody caught that.

He rolled his jacket sleeve down and asked, "Who are you people?"

Thalia walked over to the boy with Annie stuck on her leg.

She kneeled in front of the boy, "Hey there, I'm Thalia Grace. What's your name?"

The boy looked up and met her eyes, "My mom says to never talk to strangers. And I don't know you so you're a stranger."

Everybody laughed. "Look, ok, I'm not going to hurt you. Has your mom ever told you about the Greek myths? You know Perseus, Orion, Theseus, the Greek gods?"

He nodded.

"Ok, well, their real. In fact right there," she pointed to the gods behind her. "Are the Greek gods. And I'm betting that one of them is your mom and dad. OK? So, me and a few of the gods kids," she pointed to the demigods. "Are reading a book, but you see, the kids came back in time. What year is it for you?"

"2004. So, the gods are real, and one of them is my dad?"

"Exactly!" Thalia threw her hands up in the air. "Can you tell me what your name is?" Thalia and Nico both had a sneaking suspicion about who the little boy. But Thalia wanted to be sure.

"Why should I tell you?"  
"Because, if you're who I think you are then, we are friends in the future. See this girl here," Thalia gestured to the girl standing next to her, the other eight year old, "Her name is Annabeth Chase. Her mom is right over there." She pointed to Athena. She introduced all the demigods, and who their parents were, to the little boy.

"My name? I don't know who my other parent is, but I live with my mom and stepdad."

"That's alright, how about we make a deal ok? If you're who I think you are I'll tell you who you're other parent is. I you're not who I think you are one of the gods will say if you're their child." She turned to the gods with a glare, "Right?"

They all nodded their heads.

"Percy. My name's Percy Jackson," the boy said.

Thalia turned to Nico and whispered, "Score!" He laughed knowing how much blackmail he could get out of this.

"Ok then, Percy. You see that guy over there?" She pointed to Poseidon. "That's your dad, and the book we're reading, is about you in 5 years. We get to look inside your mind!"

Percy looked surprised then blushed, "Oh geez." He knew he thought some pretty weird things, so he was mentally prepping himself to be totally embarrassed.

He turned to Poseidon and mumbled, "Hi dad."

"Thalia, could you please explain how you're back during a break?" Annabeth asked Thalia.

"Sure, but I'll tell you this, you can thank Percy," Thalia responded.

"So are we going to get started so this torture can be over soon?" Percy asked. "And can somebody explain to me what's happened so far?" Nico took him and Annabeth to the side and explained everything that had happened. He came back pale. "Poison?" he squeaked. Annabeth put a hand on his shoulder.

"Right Jason, would you begin," Thalia asked her brother.

"Um, alright."

**The Vice Principal Gets a Missile Launcher**

Thalia paled and looked at Artermis and said, "Anything I say about the Hunters in this, I am so sorry."

**I didn't know what type of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast. **

**Maybe I could defend myself if I could get my shield activated. All it would take was a touch of my watch.**

"Really!? That's so cool!" Percy yelled.

"Ow," Annabeth muttered because he was sitting next to her, and had just yelled in her ear pretty much.

**But defending the di Angelo kids was another matter. I needed help, and there was only one way I could think to get it.**

**I closed my eyes.**

**What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"**

**I opened my eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," I lied. I tried to sound miserable, which wasn't hard. "It burns."**

"**Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill. Walk!"**

"That's…. reassuring," Piper said.

**Thorn herded us outside, and I tried to concentrate. I pictured Grover's face. I focused on my feelings of fear and danger. Last summer, he had created an empathy link between us. He'd sent me visions in my dreams to let me know he was in trouble. As far as I knew, we were still linked, but I'd never tried to contact Grover. I didn't even know if it would work while Grover was awake.**

_**Hey, Grover! **_**I thought. **_**Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help!**_

"Now he's so not gonna help you, tell him he's a spike-throwing freak," Thalia joked shaking her head. "He's not gonna listen, you need to say some sort of food first." Everybody started laughing at that.

"But- but he will help me right?" Percy asked.

"Oh yeah, along with me and Annabeth," Thalia said smiling.

"Ok," Percy sighed.

**Thorn marched us into the woods. We took a path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. My shoulder ached. The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold I felt like a Percysicle.**

"**There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride." **

"**What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"**

"**Silence, you insufferable girl!"**

Nico growled and Hades yelled, "Don't talk to my daughter that way!"

Nico smiled remembering what he said next. Thalia noticed, "Why are you smiling like a freak?"

Nico shook his head.

"**Don't talk to my sister that way!" Nico said.**

Hades smiled at his son, and Demeter smiled, "Like father, like son. But that may not be a good thing."

Hades looked at her, "Why the hell would that be a bad thing, he's my son!"

Hera gasped, "Hades language! It was ok before, but now we have two eight year olds here!"

Hazel looked at Nico, "What am I? Chopped liver?"  
"Oh no, you do not want to be caught in the middle of their arguments. Trust me. She usually ends it with forcing _both_ of us to eat cereal." He shuddered.

Percy looked at Annabeth as Demeter screamed, "At least I'm not a psychotic cereal-hating daughter-taking…" Demeter listed off a bunch of things about Hades.

"Why are they fighting?" Percy asked Annabeth.

"If they didn't fight, they wouldn't be them, they hold grudges, and they break promises. You ever hear that story of Athena and Poseidon fighting over the city of Athens? Poseidon still hates my mom because of it." Percy was surprised.

"How do know all this?" he asked.

"Athena's kids are naturally smart I guess. We love reading, but it has to be in Ancient Greek," Annabeth responded.

All the demigods looked over at the two eight year olds chatting away and smiled.

Piper let her Aphrodite side show and said, "That is so cute." Leo smirked at her and she punched him in the gut.

"Ow, Beauty Queen, you can pack a punch," he groaned holding his stomach.

"SILENCE!" Zeus yelled. "Jason, please continue."

**His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.**

Nico puffed out his chest, "Of course I have guts!"

Thalia laughed, "It's just the people you hang out with that don't."

Nico pouted when everyone laughed.

Percy got up and sat by Nico. Percy smiled at Nico and he returned it.

Aphrodite saw this and squealed, "Poseidon, your son is adorable!"

**Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. **

"Was he being a good little captive Nico?" Thalia asked him.

"I don't know I was surprised I actually said something to him, and he didn't eat me," Nico responded. "I always knew there was something weird about him." He shook his head.

**Meanwhile, I projected my thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: **_**Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends!**_

"That'll get his attention, good job Perce," Thalia laughed.

**"Halt," Thorn said.**

**The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I ****sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. But all I could see was mist and darkness.**

**Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. **

Poseidon and Percy caught their breath.

**I stumbled, and Bianca caught me.**

**"Thanks," I murmured.**

**"What **_**is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?"**_

**"I… I'm working on it."**

**"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.**

Everybody looked at Nico, who was was currently hiding behind Percy.

Thalia laughed. Nico hissed from behind his 'shield'.

**"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"**

**We turned.**

**Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."**

**There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.**

"Ok, that is pretty creepy," almost everybody said.

**I glanced behind me, wondering how far the drop was.**

**Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. **_**Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself."**_

**"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered.**

**"I'll explain later," I said.**

**"You do have a plan, right?"**

Percy snorted, "I won't have a plan." **(1)**

Nico laughed, "No I don't think you did."

_**Grover! I thought desperately. Come to me!**_

**Maybe I could get both the di Angelos to jump with me into the ocean.**

"He'd have to push us down," Nico said thoughtfully.

**If we survived the fall, I could use the water to protect us. I'd done things like that before.**

"He has?" Hazel asked.

Thalia shrugged, "I have no idea."

**If my dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe.**

Poseidon looked hurt, "Of course I'd help! I'm always listening!"

**"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading my thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"**

**A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to me that it nicked my ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible… almost like a tail.**

**"Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."**

Nico ruffled Percy's hair. "You're always wanted by somebody. Whether it's the police, or somebody." He looked at Annabeth quickly then back Jason because he'd started reading.

**"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."**

Everybody looked at Nico with sympathy.

Hades mourned, _Maria…_

**"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."**

**"Luke," I said. "You work for Luke."**

Hermes flinched. Annabeth looked confused, "What? Why would Thorn be working for Luke? What did he do?"

Thalia flinched remembering that Annabeth had no idea about Luke.

"You know how Kronos sometimes gets into people's dreams? Well, he got into Luke's, and, this is what I heard. I don't know if it's true, but Luke gave," Thalia looked over at Percy. "Somebody a pair of the flying shoes that were supposed to drag the wearer into Tarturus. Then, when that somebody didn't go down, he summoned a pit scorpion that stung that person. Then the next summer, he poisoned my tree so that somebody had to go get the Golden Fleece to heal my tree. That's how I'm back."

Annabeth interrupted, "wait, but, but Luke wouldn't do that. He wouldn't!"

"Annabeth I'm not joking, ok? I'm sorry, I was devastated too." Thalia tried.

Annabeth looked at Hermes for support, but he just nodded. He didn't know Luke did all that.

Then Annabeth looked at Thalia again, "But you said I could thank Percy for getting you back. Does that mean he did all that to him?"

Thalia cursed when Percy looked up. "What?" he asked.

Thalia smiled sheepishly, noticing the fact that Poseidon was hyperventilating, and his fingers were crossed.

"Um, Nico? Help," she yelped.

Percy looked up at Nico, "That's not true, right?"

Nico nodded.

All the demigods, besides Nico and Thalia, were completely shocked that Percy had survived so much. Poseidon paled considerably, while the rest of the gods looked impressed.

"I think he's one of the seven," Piper said weakly.

The gods looked confused, "Excuse me?" Athena asked.

Thalia and Nico were shaking their heads. "Keep reading!" they yelled.

**Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill me several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."**

**"The General?" I asked. Then I realized I'd said it with a French accent. "I mean… who's the General?"**

"That was hilarious. I had to try so hard not to burst out laughing, I bit my tongue so hard it bled a little," Nico said laughing.

**Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."**

**I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.**

"That's bad. Mortals are working for the enemy. "Athena said.

Everyone nodded.

**"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.**

**"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."**

Hazel was laughing, "What did he just say?"

Nico groaned and went into 'Percy shield' position.

**"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"**

Hera gasped. "Nico! Where did you learn that?"

"Hey, you learn some _colorful_ language when you've been stuck somewhere since, like, the 1940's," Nico said.

Percy almost choked. "What?"

"From what I hear, you go there when you're twelve, and Annabeth, and Grover. But not as long as me though."

Thalia coughed, "Old man!"

Everybody started laughing except Nico who pouted then said, "Hey! We've both had age-slowing magical-stuff! So technically you're like 30."

"Um, hello, Nico? Look at the people sitting in front of you, their millions of years old, and you're like 80!" she countered. The demigods laughed, the gods were a little miffed about the 'millions of years old' thing.

**"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well… there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."**

Hades growled.

**"The Great what?" I asked. Anything to keep him talking while I tried to figure out a plan.**

Athena nodded, "Good idea."

**"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"**

The gods looked worried, "That is not good. At. All."

**"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts."**

**"We have to jump off the cliff," I told her quietly. "Into the sea."**

**"Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."**

Everyone laughed.

"You are nuts," Nico said, ruffling his hair again.

Percy didn't deny, instead he said, "Stop touching my hair!"

"Okay, but you never denied the 'your nuts' thing." Nico said.

Everyone laughed again and Percy just shrugged.

**I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me.**

**Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. **

Annabeth looked smug.

Athena smiled at her.

**Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the di Angelos and me, knocking us to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis.**

**If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened.**

Thalia smiled smugly.

**She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part. Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it.**

**Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it.**

**Thalia moved in with her spear. "For Zeus!"**

Zeus smiled.

**I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.**

**The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind me, but I didn't dare look.**

**Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia, and this time I could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpionlike tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down.**

**Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.**

**Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.**

The big three started worrying for their kids.

**"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us.**

**"Who **_**are you people?" **_**Bianca di Angelo demanded.**_** "And what is that?"**_

**"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"**

Everybody looked at him.

He hid behind Percy, who was laughing at him.

Thalia pumped her fist in the air, "Booyah! I remembered. Oh!"

"What else do you remember?" Nico asked, out from his hiding.

"Not much, but I know you remember everything. Is that, like, the only thing you played in the Lotus Hotel?"

"NO!" Nico blushed and groaned.

**I didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl.**

**"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, I remembered my own shield. I hit my wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from my brother, was badly damaged. I wasn't sure it would even stop a second volley.**

"I have a brother?" Percy asked.

"Half-brother, Tyson. He's the sweetest Cyclops. He thinks Annabeth's the best thing since peanut butter. And he seriously loves peanut butter," Thalia said seriously.

**I heard a ****thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to me with a thud.**

Nico, Annabeth, and Thalia all growled.

**"Yield!" the monster roared.**

**"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, I thought she would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.**

Jason and Zeus growled. **(2)**

**"No!" I ran out to help her. I parried away a spike just before it would've hit her chest. I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough.**

**Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes."**

**We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance.**

**Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.**

Thalia and Artermis smiled.

**The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.**

**"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—"**

**His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder.**

"Yeah! Sis is in the story!" Apollo yelled.

"Do not call me sis!" Artermis said.

**He staggered backward, wailing in agony.**

**"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.**

"HA!" Artermis snapped. "I told you my hunters were better! Right Thalia?"

Thalia smiled, "Oh, definitely."

"Bu- bu- but, you train them, due to Ancient Laws, I can't teach my kids! It's no fair!" Apollo yelled back.

**The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. I tried to swipe at him with my sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged my attack and slammed his tail into my shield, knocking me aside.**

**Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, like me. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions.**

**"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.**

**Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."**

Thalia smiled sheepishly, "Ooops."

Artermis raised her eyebrow, but remembered her apology at the beginning of the chapter.

**I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.**

**One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"**

Thalia smiled sadly, "Zoe."

**I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.**

**The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."**

**"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."**

"Nice one Arty!" Apollo said.

"Don't call me Arty either!" Artermis said.

"Then what can I call you?" Apollo asked.

"Artermis!" she snapped.

**The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!"**

**He lunged at Thalia and me, knowing we were weak and dazed.**

**"No.'" Annabeth yelled, and she charged at the monster.**

**"Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!"**

**But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life.**

**"Fire!" Zoe ordered.**

"NO!" Athena screamed.

**"No!" I screamed.**

Annabeth smiled at Percy.

**But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!"**

**And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.**

"No," Athena sobbed.

Annabeth walked up to her mom, "Mom, I'm right here."

"But I don't know if you're okay in the future," she looked up with tears rolling down her face. "Thalia, come here please."

Thalia walked up.

"Does she survive?" Athena whispered.

Thalia nodded.

Annabeth hugged her mom and walked back with Thalia.

**"Annabeth!" I yelled.**

**I started to run after her, but our enemies weren't done with us. There was a **_**snap-snap-snap **_**from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire.**

**Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter.**

**"Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt."**

**She thrust out her hand, and the helicopters exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night.**

"Awesome!" Leo yelled.

Artermis smiled, "Do you wish to witness it?"

"I'm good," Leo said thinking about what that could mean.

**The Hunters advanced on us.**

**The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste.**

**"Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."**

**Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady."**

**"Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."**

**"Annabeth!" I yelled. "You have to let us save her!"**

Athena and Annabeth smiled.

**The auburn-haired girl turned toward me. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."**

**I tried to struggle to my feet, but a couple of the girls held me down.**

**"You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," the auburn-haired girl said.**

**"Let me go!" I demanded. "Who do you think you are?"**

Everyone looked at Percy.

Hazel looked at Percy, "You do know gods can disintegrate you, by just pointing their finger?"

Percy gulped, "I don't know what future me is doing. He's crazy."

Everyone laughed.

Poseidon turned to Artermis.

"Which you will not be doing, I presume?" he asked.

Artermis shook her head, "I'm sure I won't Uncle. Your boy is fine."

**Zoe stepped forward as if to smack me.**

"She will," Artermis said.

"That would have been hilarious to see, just Percy's face if that happened," Thalia laughed.

**"No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand."**

"See Uncle? I said I wouldn't hurt him, at least not yet," She mumbled the last part under her breath.

**The young girl looked at me, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."**

"Chapter is done, who wants to read next?" Jason asked.

Piper raised her hand. "I will, but first can we eat? We're in the middle of a quest, and I'm hungry."

"I suppose so," Hera said.

The three demigods and Apollo and Hermes were the first one out the door.

_-Line Break since I have no idea how to do one-_

**1: When I first typed that I put: sontred. It looked really weird.**

**2: At first I put Jasona, I'm like ok, Jason's a girl now. Poor Piper.**

**Thanks for reading! **

**I'll keep working on these two stories, but if you're reading my other one too, I have major writer's block, so that might not be up for a while. But, you need not worry for this story.**

**Should I put this other story I'm writing up on here? I'll put it on my poll and a summary in the next chapter. I'm asking you guys so review and let me know! **

_**IamTiffanyDaughterofHermes, signing off for tonight.**_


	4. Chapter 4- break chapter

**Hey! So I'm on a role! Ok, so I'm gonna do this break chapter, but could you tell me if you want me to skip it and just do the reading next time, or do break chapters? Thanks.**

**The Percy and Poseidon talking part in this is for allen r, hope you like it! ; D, I tend to go a 'little' dramatic. So, please don't hate.**

**Disclaimer: If you want to see my miserable attempt to get ownership, look at the last chapter. So, no, I do not own PJO or HOO.**

**-**_**Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-**_

"_Chapter is done, who wants to read next?" Jason asked._

_Piper raised her hand. "I will, but first can we eat? We're in the middle of a quest, and I'm hungry."_

"_I suppose so," Hera said. _

_The three demigods and Apollo and Hermes were the first one out the door._

**-**_**Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-**_

Everybody got into the kitchen to see the three demigods with each two hamburgers (tofu burgers for Piper, of course) on their plates.

**Aphrodite and Piper**

Aphrodite scrunched her nose, "Do you know how much grease id on those things, it disgusting."

Piper waved her hand, "Oh well, this food is better than my father's."

Aphrodite sat down next to Piper and conjured up a salad, "Much better. Do you like salad, Pipes?"

"Depends on what type," she shrugged.

"Well, what do you like?"

"Hmm, ceaser salad."

"Oh, Ceaser, what a handsome young man."

"Oh my gods mom," she moaned.

**Hephaestus and Leo (1)**

"Leo, what did you me when you said you'd been to enough of the military schools?" he asked his son.

"You really want to hear my sob story?" Leo asked, smiling.

Hephaestus nodded.

"Okay," Leo continued his 'sob story' until he was done.

Hephaestus looked at him, "I'm sorry boy."

**Annabeth, Thalia, Athena, Jason, Frank and Zeus**

Thalia was telling Zeus, Jason, and Annabeth all she had heard of Percy's story before his third quest.

Once she was finished she looked around, "Does this place have any water here? Seriously!"  
Jason rolled his eyes when Thalia looked at him like _well, go get it for me!_

"Thalia, just because I'm your brother, doesn't mean I have to do stuff like that for you."

Thalia cocked her head to one side.

Annabeth and Frank started laughing. Zeus and Athena exchanged amused glances.

"You still have to get it for me."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because you're my brother, and I have ten years to make up of sisterly-torture for you."

Thalia nodded her head like nothing in the world has ever been truer.

Jason rolled his eyes, but still got up for the cup.

**Hazel, Nico, and Hades**

"So, you're telling me you're actually Greek?" Hazel asked her brother. Hades looked between the two of them noticing the huge differences of the two.

Nico nodded his head, "I wanted to tell you, but then everyone at Camp Jupiter started calling me a son of Pluto, and I just didn't know what to do. You can go ahead and hate me, you're not the first."

Hades looked shocked, "Who else hates you?"

"Perce did-"Nico started.

"Then I'll give him a piece of my mind!" Hades interrupted. "If I ever meet him."

Nico nodded, "Oh, you meet him, like three, in the Underworld. And you actually did try to 'give him a piece of your mind'. It didn't work out to well."

Hazel looked confused, "Wait, but why would Percy hate you?"

"You'll see in the last book," Nico said bitterly.

**Percy and Poseidon**

"So, you're my dad?" Percy asked.

Poseidon smiled, "Yes."

"Why did you leave us? My mom and I? Do you know what we have to go through?" Percy asked.

Poseidon's smile faded, he pursed his lips, "Your uncle, he made a law that the gods have to leave their kids. None of the gods like it, but Hera keeps it enforced. I do know, and I am very sorry you are stuck with Gabe."

Percy breathed a sigh of relief, nobody knew about what Gabe did to him when his mom left.

"So, don't you think it's hot in here? Why don't you take off your jacket," Poseidon asked his son.

Percy panicked on the inside, "No, uh, I'm good."

"Ok," Poseidon said.

**Apollo and Hermes**

*Chowing down on some hamburgers*

"These are delicious," Apollo said.

"I know right?" Hermes asked.

**The rest of the gods**

"Should we bring Hestia?" Demeter asked.

"Yes, I think we should," Hera said. Hestia flashed.

She kneeled then stood up, "What is it you summon me for?"

"We are reading a book about a young hero, Percy Jackson. In fact we have the eight year old version of him here. But we wanted you to come," Demeter explained.

Hestia smiled and nodded, "Thank you."

"You are family Hestia. There is no doubt," Hera replied.

Hestia smiled even wider.

Just then everybody else came back in. Nico saw Hestia, bowed quickly, then smiled and acknowledged her.

Hestia just smiled wider, if possible.

Everybody looked at Nico to ask how he knew it was her. He just shrugged.

"Well, Piper if you will," Zeus asked.

"Of course," she opened the book to the right page.

**Bianca Di Angelo Makes a Choice**

-_Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-_

**1: I put Hepheastusus. I'm like what the heck is wrong now – oh… Try saying that out loud. It's really weird.**

**I just cannot spell Hephaestus correctly the first time! Geez!**

**Ok! So, Hestia's in there. I had to bing her in, cause she's like my favorite Minor Goddes. (Look on my profile, PJO Twenty questions thingy...)**

**Was that any good? I don't like, then again, i hate my drawing, but people say it's amazing, i just can't draw people. Otherwise, i would hava a ton of Percabeth pictures, anyway.**

**IamTiffanyDaughterofHermes, signing off for right now.**


	5. Chapter 5 and a half

**Ok, so I just reread my last chapter and realized how many mistakes are on it. I guess the spellcheck I use decided to, like, make fun of me or something, and not point out all the grammar stuff that is wrong. My face when reading it: O_o, my reaction: What the heck? It was not like this before! It got rid of words, what the Hades! Gr…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

-_Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-_

"Well, Piper if you will," Zeus asked.

"Of course," she opened the book to the right page.

**Bianca Di Angelo Makes a Choice**

-_Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-_

**Bianca Di Angelo Makes a Choice**

Nico flinched.

Annabeth came up to sit next to Thalia who happened to be sitting next to Nico, who was sitting next to Percy.

Annabeth put her hand on his arm, "Is something wrong?"

Nico looked anywhere but Annabeth, "Yeah. It's just what Bianca's choosing to do."

Nico tried to look at Annabeth to smile showing he was okay, but she looked up at him with big worried eyes. He looked away again and said under his breath, "Damn your eyes."

Thalia smirked at him, "I know right? I gave up my dinner for _that_ one time," pointing at Annabeth. Annabeth turned to Thalia and smiled.

**After seeing turn into a monster and plummet off the edge of a cliff with Annabeth, you'd think nothing else could shock me. But then this twelve-year-old girl told me she was the goddess Artemis, I said something real intelligent like, "Um . . . okay."  
**"Ok, that's pushing it a bit," Artemis said a little aggravated.

"Eh, it's not the worst thing he's done," Nico said.

"What is?" she asked.

Apollo gasped, "Is my sister being nice to a _boy?_"

Thalia smiled, "Whoever said this person is a guy?"

"Hey!" Nico yelled.

"Well, you act like a girl. Oh my gods! I heard Percy's first monster was Alecto! Can you imagine that?" Thalia said, doing a very bad impersonation. **(1)**

"I DO NOT talk like that!" Nico yelled.

"Guys! Just _shut up!"_ Piper charmspoke. "I want to get this book done before I'm eighty and deaf from hearing you guys scream. Do you know weird it would be if I came back to camp deaf? There would be a lot of questions!" Before anyone could answer she continued reading, but there were a few snickers from the 'deaf' thing.

**That was nothing compared to Grover. He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so… you're so… Wow!"**

Everybody was laughing.

Artemis smiled, "The satyrs really seem to like me."

"Yeah, they do!" Aphrodite said.

"OK! We've got children in the room, and we do not need to hear your perverted thoughts thank you very much!" Hera yelled.

"Fine," Aphrodite huffed.

"**Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"**

**Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who… who are you people?"**

**Artemis' gaze softened. "It might be better question, my dear girl, to ask who are **_**you? **_**Who are your parents?"**

**Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.**

Thalia looked at Nico, "Haven't you ever heard it's rude to stare?"  
Nico shrugged, "Eh, oh well."

"**Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans.**

Hades winced.

**There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…"**

Everyone looked at Nico with sympathy but he was just looking straight ahead.

Hades winced again.

**She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her.**

"**What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."**

"**You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."**

"**An Olympian… athlete?"**

"That would be so cool! Are any of you good at sports?"

"Nico, going into hyper mode," Thalia smirked.

Nico blushed as everyone looked at him weird, "Well sorry. Is there something wrong with wondering if they play sports?"

Thalia rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Piper?"

"**No," Zoe said. "One of the gods."**

"**Cool!" said Nico.**

Everyone looked at him weird.

"What's wrong with you?" Hazel asked.

Thalia snorted, "Oh, you should have seen him. He was jumping everywhere! Like this."

She got up and started asking a lot of stupid questions really fast while jumping.

Nico blushed and pulled Thalia back down into her seat. "Shut up!"

Thalia smirked.

"**No!" Bianca's voice quivered. "This is not cool!"**

**Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for-"**

Hazel got up and stood in front of Nico, "What the Hades are you talking about? You sound like one of those idiots playing that mythomagic game!"

Nico stuttered, "What are you t-t-t-talking about?"

Hades was grumbling something about how his own kids curse in his name.

"**Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. **

Piper laughed as she read the next line in her head. Everyone looked at her.  
"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly.

"**This is not your stupid mythomagic game, okay?**

Hazel looked at her brother and shook (sp? That does not look right to me) her head.

"The Ambassador of Pluto playing mythomagic. That seems like such a stupid game," Hazel sighed.

Nico buried his head in his arms, "I resent that 'stupid game' comment, but for now, can I just die of embarrassment?"

**There are no gods!"**

**As anxious as I felt about Annabeth- all I wanted to do was search for her- I couldn't help feeling sorry for the di Angelos. **

Annabeth smiled at a blushing Percy, "Thanks."

"No problem. It's what friends do right?" He asked.

The demigods smiled at this. Aphrodite was thinking about the two and Athena was fuming. _Friends? Really, friends? How are they friends already? She shouldn't be friends with that sea spawn._

**I remembered what it was like for me when I first learned I was a demigod.**

**Thalia must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… our lives are dangerous."  
**Nico nodded, "Percy's living proof of that last statement."

Poseidon and Percy paled considerably.

"**Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell."**

"She's about as bad with sensitive subjects as Percy," Nico snorted. He ruffled Percy's hair, "No offense."

Percy looked at him trying his best to fix his hair, and shrugged, "I learned that from my stepfather I guess" Everyone was surprised at the bitterness in his tone.

"I thought you liked Paul?" Nico asked.

"Who the heck is Paul?" Percy asked hopefully. _Does that mean Gabe was finally gone? _"I was talking about Gabe."

Nico looked at Percy, "Who the heck is Gabe?"

"Yes, well, um, both of you boys are just confusing each other, so Piper, if you would continue?" Hera asked.

Percy looked lost in thoughts with hopefulness shining in his eyes.

Nico was confused until Thalia whispered to him quietly, "Maybe another stepfather before Paul?"

Nico shrugged and turned back to the book.

**Thalia turned away. Even Artemis looked pained.**

"He didn't look any better," Thalia said.

"**Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."  
"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" I asked.**

"**She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."**

"Whaaa?" Leo asked.

Jason sighed, "Leo, somehow the manticore disappeared, with Annabeth on its back, before it could hit the water."

"Oh, thanks," Leo replied.**  
I still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for her,**

"He _so _has a crush on her!" Aphrodite squealed.

Percy and Annabeth blushed, while Athena and Poseidon groaned. If Aphrodite was giving it personal attention, there was _no_ way to stop it from happening.

Aphrodite got a thinking face; _let's see, Anercy-no. ! Perc__a__beth! Yes!_ She squealed and everybody looked at her. "What?" Athena asked annoyed.

"I just came up with a couple name for them… Percabeth!" Aphrodite squealed.

Athena and Poseidon groaned and Percy and Annabeth blushed. Piper looked at them.

"I am _so_ sorry," she said to the two. They both nodded still red in the face. The two kids and gods glared at everyone who was laughing, a select few still snickering behind their hand's as Piper read.

**But I had a feeling Artemis was right. Annabeth was gone. If she'd been down in the sea, I thought. I'd feel her presence.**

"**Oo!" Nico raised his hand.**

Nico groaned while everyone looked at him amused.

"**What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"**

"Do we really need to go into the explanation?" Apollo and Hermes groaned.

Piper looked up, "Actually, Lords, it's not too bad."

"Fine, "Apollo grumbled after Artemis smacked him in the head and shot an arrow two inches from Hermes face.  
"Yikes!" he yelped.

"**He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted when they reappear."**

"**Or they'll hunt us," Thalia said.**

**Bianca di Angelo**

"Does he really have to say her full name every time she's mentioned?" Nico asked.

"What? You don't like being called Nico di Angelo, Nico di Angelo?" Thalia asked to bug him.

"No, it's just annoying."

"Whatever you say, Nico di Angelo," Thalia replied snickering a little.

"Shuddap, Thalia Grace," Nico smirked.

"You're impossible."

"No, I am annoying.

"Same difference!"

"Shut up!" Percy yelled. "You're both annoying. Leave it at that."

"You have no idea how much you sound like your older self," Thalia marveled.

A light lit up the room, and a kid started to fall, but he tucked his knees in and came up in a roll.

**1: This is NOT, may I repeat NOT a Thalico story. They are just being annoying cousins.**

**Ok, so there's the next chapter! This is my second story on here, I'm not even done with my first, so don't judge too harsh. This is not a Chef Boyardee commercial! (You know the 'chef don't judge') I'm sorry! I hate it when authors do half a chapter, but please bear with me. It just felt like the perfect time to bring him in, so yeah. Moving on, who **_**is **_**him!**

**Allen r: I might just do that. Hmm…**

**Guest #1: You can just kinda ignore the last chapter, I really don't like it. But, I wanted to get it up for you. I won't be doing anymore break chapters, because mine aren't too good. **

**Guest #2: Are you calling mine not funny? I know I may not be the best joker, and really, I seem kind of desperate to make my friends laugh sometimes, so I'm sorry. And do you feel bad for saying it isn't a good story? I'm confused. They are back in time because Apollo and Hermes are bored and they feel like messing around! (From chapter 3)**

**Katie Daughter of Poseidon: I am continuing it! Yay! (Did I just yay? I blame it on sugar…) I'm glad you love it! I am updating! **


	6. Chapter 5 part two

_Chloe the hybrid: Thank you so much!_

_Annabeth lopez: I am updating… I'm glad you like it!_

_Allen r: I won't, I'm stubborn like that, sometimes. Thanks!_

_E. E. Terrill: Yes! That is exactly what I am going for! Thanks for letting me know!_

_SONxOFxCHAOS: Well here it is, so no more wait!_

_Paradiseisland101: I am updating… awkward. I really like your reading the story series too._

_Nightmarishstar: Will do so? Sorry about those two, it's just a lot of people to keep track of sometimes._

_Badass Nerd: Love the name! OK, I am updating…_

_Banannibo: Your name is really fun to say! OK will (cough try cough) to do!_

_2lazy2login: Nice guest name, I love it! The mystery person, you will find out if you read…. Please don't send an angry mob to my door. Nah, I know you're joking._

_Guest #1: I am…_

_Guest #2: I didn't want to make you guys wait, gods I felt so bad. I posted the half chapter because I wanted to get something up for you guys, because you people are awesome. But yeah, sorry for the wait._

_LovePercabeth4eva: You will see! And I am updating, so yeah._

_Puzzlingnerd57: I know right?_

_AshtrayTradgedyM.D: Thanks! Just read to see if your right! I know, actually you have nothing to be sorry for, I'm glad you took the time to rant at me. I will try my best to make him smarter._

_DerangedOtakuFangirl: Good suggestion!_

**Disclaimer: I am not rick Riordan, I do not own PJO and never will.**

-_Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-_

"You have no idea how much you sound like your older self," Thalia marveled.

A light lit up the room, and a kid started to fall, but he tucked his knees in and came up in a roll.

-_Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-_

A 16 year old-looking kid was standing looking at everyone.

He had messy black hair and sea green eyes. He had a huge cut in his side and looked like he was about to pass out. He turned to look at the gods.

"What the… Apollo! Could you- err... help me?" He pointed to his side.

Apollo ran over and healed the boy, "What the heck happened to you?"

He waved it off, "Chimera… not nice. What am I doing on Olympus, and it's in the older... What the heck? Explanation."

Zeus looked at him, "Who are you?"

He looked up surprised, "What? Percy Jackson. You forgot who I am, damn, I-"

"Well, hi Percy!" Hermes yelled.

Percy looked surprised.

Thalia bit her lip, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

Nico and Thalia ran up and hugged him.

"Ow, ribs, what am I doing here?" He asked again.

"Oh, yeah. Reading about you and your mind," Nico said.

"What!?"

"Yeah, your-uh- third quest right? Yeah your third quest. And we get to read about Mr. hyper mythomagic," Thalia smiled. ""Oh, and mini-you is here, along with mini-Annabeth."

Percy stood up, "Dang, I was adorable, so was Annabeth. Geez."

Everybody else was still staring at Percy.

"Who's reading? Oh, Piper, guessing she's reading," Percy said.

The three were still staring at him, "Hey, uh guys? Are you now fly traps or something?" he asked.

Piper closed her mouth, "How do you know us? You're not at camp and we're in the middle of a quest."

Percy tilted his head, "I guess I'm from the future, not to far though. Probably just a few months."

During this whole thing Little Percy **(that's his name now or L. Percy for when I'm feeling lazy)** was looking at his older-self amazed, first the roll then how he acted like the huge cut, that looked really deep, still bleeding even, was nothing.

Annabeth leaned over, "That was amazing, a chimera? Those things are huge! Your older self acted like it was nothing!"

He nodded a little scared his older self was mental, but snapped out of it when the older Percy came over and got down on his knees.

"So you're about… eight right?"

He nodded.

"So which school are you in?"  
"I just got kicked out of Calandra Elementary School." **(Totally made it up!)**

"OH! So you put fireworks in the gym. Or is that next year? I cannot remember, what did you do again?"  
Little Percy was embarrassed as everyone stared at him.

"Umm, yeah, fireworks in the gym…"  
Percy smiled at his younger self and shook his head Leo, Apollo, and Hermes were looking at him, "Dude, you are awesome! Eight years old and already doing that? Wow!"

A note appeared in front of Percy's face.

"Read it," Zeus ordered.

Percy rolled his eyes, surprising almost everyone,

_Dear Percy,_

_ You know how you're coming out of you-know-where? Yeah, well, there's the thing, there's this one curse coming with getting out of there magically to read some book about you._

Percy broke off reading for a second and turned to the two gods, "You guys really need to get to the point."

_So because of this curse you will feel everything in the book. We are sooooo sorry, because you are one of our favorite demigods._

_The Two Greatest Gods after Zeus,_

_Apollo and Hermes_

_P.S. We have decided to stop the world right now, there are many reasons why. So don't worry._

Percy paled considerably and took a deep breath.

"What do they mean 'coming out of you-know-where'?" Athena asked.

"I-uh-I…. I can't explain," Percy said shakily. "Sorry Lady Athena."  
"So you're polite to her, but no one else?" Thalia asked.

Percy shrugged, "She's the only Olympian I'm scared of."

Thalia shook her head in amusement.

Percy sat down where Little Percy was sitting, patted his lap, and said, "Come here little man!"

L. Percy looked at him weird but sat in his lap.

"So, can we start now?" Percy asked.

Frank spoke up, "But Percy don't you have the poisoned spike in your shoulder feeling?"  
"Oh hi Frank and Hazel, didn't see you there, you guys are quiet. Anyway, yeah, I do, just trying to ignore it. Now Piper can you read please?" Percy asked again with little beads of sweat popping up on his shoulder.

Piper was still staring at her; Jason waved his hand in front of her face, "Hello Piper? Do you want me to read?"  
"What? No, I'm good," Piper said.

**Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in D.C.?"**

"**And the bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I**_** told**_** you that was real."**

"**That's why Grover has been watching you," I said.**

"You make him sound like a stalker," Frank said.

"I know. He is a stalker. A stalker with hooves," Percy replied smiling.

"How do you know that," Jason asked.

Percy just smiled.

"**To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."**

"**Grover," Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"  
"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves.**

Artermis huffed, "He's going to give the poor girl a heart attack!"  
Nico asked her, "What about me? I'm there and new to it."  
Artermis sniffed, "I couldn't care less. You are a boy."

Apollo looked at him with sympathy, "Don't try, I've been trying for a while."  
"And you get rejected every time," Ares finished.

Piper started before a fight could start.

**I thought Bianca was going to faint right there. **

"**Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia said. "You're freaking her out."**

Artermis looked at Thalia, "Thank you, Thalia."

Thalia smiled, "Your welcome, Milady."

"**Hey, my hooves are clean!"  
**"I'm pretty sure that's not why she was freaking out," Hazel said.

"Yeah, but he didn't know that," Thalia said.

"Hello, just ignore the boy that was there too!" Nico said.

Thalia smiled, "Glad you understand little cousin."  
Percy ruffled his hair, "Yeah, well you were too busy asking if this person had this many hit points or something."

Nico pouted, "Was not!"  
"Was too!"

"Was not!"  
"Was too!

"Was not!

"Was too!" Thalia joined in.

"Ugh, not you too, Thalia!"

L. Percy looked at Annabeth as if to say _I'm acting more mature than my older self._

Annabeth started laughing then rubbed her ears because they were shouting over her.

L. Percy saw that and yelled, "Guys shut up! We can just look in the book!"  
Percy started grumbling, "I can't believe I'm being shushed by my eight year old self."

Everybody was looking at L. Percy thankfully.

Piper decided to start reading,

"**Bianca," I said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."**

"**Camp?" She asked.**

"**Camp Half-blood," I said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."**

"**Sweet! Let's go!" Nico said.**

"Are you sure that's the same Nico?" Annabeth asked.

"Ohh, I'm very sure," Percy said.

"How?" She asked him.

"Watch this," he turned to Nico. "Can I see that thing in your pocket?"

Nico's face darkened, "That's not a thing to joke about Percy."  
He sighed, "I know, I'm not going to make fun of you because of the statue. I'm gonna ask you how many hit points it had."

Nico sighed, "Five thousand, but only if you attack first. (1)"

Percy put a hand up, "And who is it?"

"Hades," Nico smiled a little.

"And I got a smile!" Percy pumped his fist in the air.

Everybody smiled.

"**Wait." Bianca shook her head. "I don't-"**

"**There**_** is**_** another option," Zoe said.**

"**No, there isn't!" Thalia said.**

**Thalia and Zoe glared at each other.**

"Oh schnapps! A staredown!" Leo yelled.

Thalia sighed, "I treated her so bad. She wouldn't believe me if I said I was lieutenant."

**I didn't know what they were talking about,**

Thalia sighed, "Of course you didn't."

**But I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other.**

"**We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."**

"**Yes, my lady."**

"**And, Bianca, come with me. I would to speak with you."**

"**What about me?" Nico asked.**

"You don't change much," Leo said.

Everybody looked at him.

"What?"  
"Well, it's just that back then he wasn't emo, and look at him now," Percy said gesturing to Nico.

"I am not emo!" he protested, but nobody would listen to him.

Leo shrugged, "I meant like, the whole wanting attention thing, but whatever."

**Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me."**

"And now there's no possible way he can say no, nice job sis!" Apollo stated happily.

"Don't call me sis!" Artemis said.

"Whatever Arty," Apollo said.

"Don't call me Arty either!" 'Arty' said.

**Grover just about tripped himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"  
Nico and Grover walked off towards the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff.**

"It is not geeky!" Nico yelled over the laughter.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night, Nicki," Percy said.

**Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began their knapsacks and making camp.**

**Zoe gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.**

"Lady Artemis, whatever I am about to say, I am so… sorry," Thalia said.

Artemis nodded thoroughly confused.

**As soon she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. **

Thalia bit her lip.

"**The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so… argh!"  
**Percy smirked, "Yeah, they do. Especially this one I know. She's the only one that won't kill me of course, but she's still pretty-"

A hunting knife ended up next to his ear.

"You want to finish that sentence Kelp Head?" Thalia asked him.

"-stuck up," he finished.

L. Percy got up and Percy sent him a thankful look before getting up and running to Jason for cover.

"I am going to kill you Kelp Head!" Thalia yelled.

"You can't hurt your little brother, can you?" Percy asked.

"Oh, he won't feel anything! You, on the other hand, will."

"Yeah well, Nico will help me! And Hazel and Frank?" he asked hopefully.

They all shook their heads saying they're not going to get in the middle of things.

"Thanks guys," he said exasperated.

Everybody guessed Percy was about to freaking die, because Thalia was pulling out her hunting knives. In the blink of an eye, Percy had disarmed her and had her unprotected, Thalia stood there blinking. She pushed Riptide away and hugged him. Everybody looked at them.

Thalia smiled, "Missed you Kelp Head, but don't ever do that again. Or I will have to kill you. Or try at least."

Artemis looked at the two, then up at Aphrodite.

Aphrodite shook her head and she sighed.

"**I'm with you," I said. "I don't trust-"**

"**Oh, you're with me?" Thalia turned on me furiously. "What were you thinking back there in the gym, Percy?**

"Well, I know now," Thalia said.

**You'd take on Thorn all by yourself? You **_**knew**_** he was a monster!"**

"**I-"**

"**If we'd stuck together, we could've taken him without the Hunters getting involved.**

"Wow. You were really anti-Hunter," Jason said surprised.

"I think it's because, um. We ran into them on the run, and they tried to take Annabeth and me away from _him_, and Zoe kept saying we were making a mistake. I had to convince myself and Annabeth that we weren't making one," Thalia said. "And, then this quest happened. And I joined them, it's like 'oh, the irony'."

**Annabeth might still be here. Did you think of that?"**

**My jaw clenched. I thought of some harsh things to say, but then I looked down and saw something navy blue lying in the snow at my feet. Annabeth's New York Yankees baseball cap.**

"At least you have that," Annabeth said. "I think I would rather it safe with you guys than with me."

**Thalia didn't say a word. She wiped a tear from her cheek, turned, and marched off, leaving me alone with a trampled cap in the snow.**

**The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs.**

"Well, what else would they be?" Thalia asked.

Percy shrugged, "I dunno. They're your wolves or Artemis's actually. Eh, whatever."  
**The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid, but I decided I would stick close to the tents. Falcons watched us from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, and I got the feeling they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was almost pleasant to sit by the fire.**

The pain in Percy shoulder flared up a bit, and he had to bite his lip to keep from saying something.

**Almost… except for the pain in my shoulder and the guilt weighing down. I couldn't believe Annabeth was gone. And as angry as I was at Thalia, I had a sinking feeling she was right.**

"Ugh, the one time you admit I'm right. And you're going to find some way to make me feel bad about it," Thalia groaned.

Percy smirked.

**It **_**was **_**my fault.**

"You did nothing wrong. You were trying to help Nico and Bianca, I do not see anything wrong in that," Hestia spoke up.

"Thank you, Lady Hestia," Percy replied.

**What had Annabeth wanted to tell me in the gym? **

"Still haven't found out…" Percy mumbled.

Aphrodite squealed, "That she loves you!"

Percy blushed while the demigods had to hold their snickers in.

Athena and Poseidon looked at each other and groaned.

Percy mumbled, "I'm sure that's not it Lady Aphrodite."

Aphrodite pouted, "Why not?"

"Uhh… cause she doesn't like me," Percy said.

"Drat!" she yelled.

_**Something serious, **_**she said. Now I might never find out.**

"Gods, your pessimistic Percy! Wow, try saying the ten times fast," Thalia said.

Hermes opened his mouth but Thalia glared at him, "I was joking.''

"Gods she creepy," Hermes muttered to Apollo who laughed quietly.

**I thought about how we'd danced together for half a song, and my heart felt even heavier.**

**I watched Thalia pacing in the snow at the edge of ****camp, walking among the wolves without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods. I wondered what she was thinking.**

**Seven years ago, Thalia had been turned into a pine tree by her father, to prevent her from dying. She'd stood her ground against an army of monsters on top of Half-Blood Hill in order to give her friends Luke and Annabeth time to escape. She'd only been back as a human for a few months now, and once in a while she would stand so motionless you'd think she was still a tree.**

"Seriously? Really, no one bothered to tell me that?" She raised her eyebrows while the demigods that didn't know what happened looked at her stunned.

None of the demigods looked at her. She sighed.

**Finally, one of the Hunters brought me my backpack. Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped me fix up my wounded arm.**

**"It's green!" Nico said with delight.**

Everyone looked at him weird and he shrugged.

**"Hold still," Grover told me. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out."**

**I winced as he dressed the wound, but the ambrosia square helped. It tasted like homemade brownie, dissolving in my mouth and sending a warm feeling through my whole body. **

**Between that and the magic salve Grover used, my shoulder felt better within a couple of minutes.**

Percy sighed in relief.

**Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. **

Nico blushed.

**I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, and Apollo with his sun chariot.**

**"Big collection," I said.**

**Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."**

**"You've been playing this game a long time?"**

**"Just this year. Before that…" He knit his eyebrows.**

**"What?" I asked.**

**"I forget. That's weird."**

"Stupid casino…" he muttered.

**He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"**

**I showed him Riptide, and explained how it turned from a pen into a sword just by uncapping it.**

**"Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?"**

Some people giggled.

**"Um, well, I don't actually write with it."**

**"Are you really the son of Poseidon?"**

**"Well, yeah."**

**"Can you surf really well, then?"**

A lot of people were laughing.

**I looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh.**

**"Jeez, Nico," I said. "I've never really tried."**

"Hey Percy?" Nico asked.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

'Have you tried surfing yet?" he asked and everyone laughed again.

"Jeez, Nico. Still haven't tried."

"Uncle Poseidon?''

He looked down at Nico, "Yes?''

"Would Percy be good at surfing?"

"Most likely, yes."

"Cool."

**He went on asking questions. Did I fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? **

"Yes!" almost everyone yelled looking at Percy and Thalia thinking of what just happened.

**(I didn't answer that one.) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff? **

Athena glared until Nico apologized.

**(I tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one.) Was Annabeth my girlfriend? **

Thalia yelled at Percy, "Even he could tell! And he was ten!"

Percy blushed, "Oh, shut up."

**(At this point, I was ready to stick the kid in a meat-flavored sack and throw him to the wolves.)**

Nico looked at Percy, "Jeez Percy! Haven't you ever heard violence is not the answer?"

Percy shrugged.

**I figured any second he was going to ask me how many hit points I had, **

Nico looked at Percy innocently, "Hey Percy? Can I ask you a question?''

Percy looked at Nico blankly, "You just did."

"Oh well. How many hit points do you have?"

Everyone started laughing except Percy who shook his head and said, "I'm not going to answer that."

**And I'd lose my cool completely, but then Zoe Nightshade came up to us.**

**"Percy Jackson."**

**She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that I had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Yes, ma'am." She studied me distastefully, like I was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch.**

"Probably thought something along the lines of that," Artemis said thoughtfully.

**"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."**

**Zoe led me to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved me inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl, who I still had trouble thinking of as Artemis.**

**The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others I didn't recognize. I figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot.  
**"Really Percy?" Frank asked.

"Eh, well they are my thoughts."

**I thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then I realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.**

**"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said.**

**I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied me, which made me uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl.**

**"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.**

**"Uh… a little."**

**"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."**

**"Go astray?" I asked.**

**"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."**

**"Oh."**

Artemis shook her head and Thalia hit him on the head. "Respect Lady Artemis."

"Sorry?" He asked looking up at her.

She waved him off. Half of the guys looked at him amazed.

**Zoe sat down at Artemis's right. She glared at me as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was my fault, like I'd invented the idea of being a guy.**

**"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" She looked at Zoe. "Which one was it?"**

**"That boy in Colorado," Zoe said. "You turned him into a jackalope."**

"What?" Frank squeaked.

"Well duh. You know like, the Hunters are forbidden from boys. That probably wouldn't leave, o that was the only way to make him leave," Leo said. Everyone looked at him. "What? I'm smart."

"He is," Percy said. "He's an amazing inventor." Jason looked at Percy, "How would you know?"

"I'm from the future," he replied.

**"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."**

**And so I told her.**

**When I was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."**

"Oh us, your fearing something? Not good," Apollo said.

"Oh us? Really Apollo?" Artemis asked.

"Yeah cause the demigods say 'oh my gods' we say 'oh us'," he replied.

"Piper, please read," Artemis said.

**Zoe sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"**

**"Yes."**

**"What scent?" I asked.**

**"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."**

"Not good," Hermes stated the obvious.

**She stared at me intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."**

**"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"**

"I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant," Jason remarked.

"Eh, well maybe I wanted the world to know that the manticore doesn't like dances," Percy said.

Everyone looked at him weird.

**"No, no. After that."**

**"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."**

**Zoe's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.**

**"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.**

**"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"**

"Really the Great Stir Pot? What's he gonna do? Make a little monster soup?" Thalia asked.

**"Stirring," Bianca corrected.**

**"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"**

**The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.**

"First Thalia's still a tree, and now Artemis is a statue? Wow, just wow," Nico said.

"It said she_ could've _been a statue. I didn't say she actually was." He replied.

**"Maybe he was lying," I said.**

**Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."**

**Zoe looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."**

**"No, Zoe. I must do this alone."**

**"But, Artemis—"**

**"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."**

**"As… as you wish, my lady."**

"**I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."**

**"You know what the monster is?" I asked.**

**Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."**

**"Can goddesses pray?" I asked, because I'd never really thought about that.**

"Yeah. Can we pray?" Apollo asked.

"Idiot," Athena mumbled.

"Hey! It's a fair question Theeny!"

"Do not call me Theeny!"

**A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."**

"You got her to smile?" Apollo asked dumbfounded.

"Almost," Percy said smiling smugly.

**"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"**

**"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."**

**"**_**What**_**?" Zoe' blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there-"**

"Feelin' the love," Leo said sarcastically.

**"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."**

"What? They burned down a cabin?" Jason asked.

Everyone shrugged and looked at Artemis.

"Those Stoll boys," she answered and all the Greeks and Jason 'ahh'ed.

**Zoe muttered something about foolish campers.**

**"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"**

Nico stiffened.

**Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."**

**"Wait," I said. "Thinking about what?"**

**"They… they've invited me to join the Hunt."**

**"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."**

"Thanks Percy," Nico said.

Percy smiled, "Anything for the crazy little cuz, right Thalia?"

"I guess so," Thalia said immediately.

Nico smiled a little.

**"It is **_**not**_** the only way for a girl," Zoe said.**

**I couldn't believe I was hearing this. "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a Pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and… I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"**

**"To begin with," Zoe said, "immortality."**

"Who would want that?" Percy whispered to the demigods. Thalia and Nico looked at him knowingly, but Thalia mostly in offence.

"Excuse me?"

"Well y-you know what I think about it. I don't want to peak in high school."

"Whipped."

All the demigods besides those three looked completely confused while the Gods observed the three. Zeus cleared his throat. The three looked up embarrassed.

"Uh, hi?" Percy waved sheepishly.

**I stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"**

**"Zoe rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal… unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."**

**"What oath?" I said.**

**"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."**

Aphrodite shivered.

**"Like you?"**

**The goddess nodded.**

**I tried to imagine what she was saying. Being immortal. Hanging out with only middle-school girls forever. I couldn't get my mind around it. **

**"So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—"**

**"Not just half-bloods," Zoe interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"**

**"Which are you, then?"**

"No tact. You have absolutely no tact Percy," Hazel said. Even she could tell that was a sensitive subject. She just didn't know why.

"I've gotten better," he replied.

Frank snorted, "Better! You talked back to-"

"Mars. I know. And Bacchus, and Ares, and Zeus, and Hades, how many more do you want?" Percy interrupted.

Frank looked at him, "How the Pl- Hades are you still alive?"

Percy shrugged, "Perks of having Poseidon as a dad I guess."

**Anger flashed in Zoe's eyes. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."**

**"Bianca, this is crazy," I said. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."**

**"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."**

"Hey!" All the guys protested.

"Well, I'm not saying sorry." She replied.

**"Hey!" I protested.**

**"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."**

**"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."**

Nico and Hades flinched.

**"Bianca, you can't do this," I said. "It's nuts."**

**She looked at Zoe. "Is it worth it?"**

**Zoe nodded. "It is."**

**"What do I have to do?"**

**"Say this," Zoe told her, "'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"**

**"I… I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."**

**"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"**

**Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"**

Nico put his head down and Percy patted his arm.

**Zoe nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."**

**"I accept it," Artemis said.**

**The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel… stronger."**

"It does have that effect," Thalia said.

**"Welcome, sister," Zoe said.**

**"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."**

**I couldn't speak. I felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. I couldn't believe I'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls' club.**

"You know she sounds kinda like jerk if you put it like that," Nico said quietly. Percy looked at him in shock.

"Nico, you know you don't mean that," he tried.

"Yes I do Percy. Do you know what she did?" Percy shook his head. "She got reborn, and she didn't even tell me. I went to visit and all I could find was a note." Percy hugged his cousin.

All the gods looked at them waiting.

**"Do not despair, Percy Jackson," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."**

**"Great," I said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?"**

**Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoe, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."**

**Zoe didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do."**

**Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess.**

**"So," I said glumly. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"**

**Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, boy. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."**

Nico's head snapped up, "I am not annoying!"

Piper closed the book, "Who wants to read next?"

Leo raised his hand and Piper mocked surprise, "You can read?" She asked tauntingly.

He shrugged, "As long as it's not in English." He opened the book. "Let's see, **Thalia Torches New England."**

He thought in his head, _wow coincidence much?_

**-**_**Line Break because I have no idea how to do one-**_

**Well! There's the rest of the chapter! Sorry if it took a while… I'm not even going to waste your time with an excuse. **

**Just so you know, Leo is thinking that and not saying it out loud because Piper and Jason still haven't found out he's a fire user yet. They haven't gotten to that part of the quest yet, so please don't complain.**

_Oh Holy Hephaestus, please tell me I got that right? That's one of my favorite lines where Percy's all like, it has four thousand attack powers! Please tell me I got it right. I couldn't remember which book it was in… gods. _


	7. Chapter 7

_Redlox2: Yes, are you saying that I think, or you think... Anyway and yes. _

_puzzlingnerd57: Yes! Thank you Thank you thank you thank you! Ok, I'm good now. Don't worry I am too. I just could not remember exactly how it went, but I was close enough…_

_BadassNerd: I am, and I will eventually. But at least two people are coming before her (only because I had this stroke of genius… sorry. Blame my mind)_

_Lost Daughter of Poseidon: IKR?! I was like jumping up and down in my head while writing that. Also he is from, like two or three days of being down in Tarturus. I am updating!_

_Guest (from chap two): well thanks! No I'm joking, but I'm guessing you're saying that because I said I was putting it on hiatus? Yeah that didn't really happen… I should really take that down…_

_You're Beautiful Let It Show: Why, thank you. It's ok, not like your teacher or whoever is on here… Thanks! Contrary to (not-so-popular) belief, I do try. P.S. I love your username. _

_Guest #1: Actually, that's not the end of the curse. So it should be ok. I haven't seen it anywhere else._

_Guest #2: I will try as often as I can._

_Guest #3: Thanks!_

_Guest #4: Which friend? Anyway, I put the disclaimers on every single chapter. If I get reported for saying something is not mine, well, that makes no sense. And maybe I do know that these aren't allowed, but I also know many people enjoy them. There are tons of people who do these. I will continue this story until it gets removed, because the people that review, favorite, and follow are awesome. Heck, every person who reads this and likes it is awesome. _

_CloudyApolloRox: Thanks! Here it is… please don't do that. That would be bad._

_Chloe the hybrid: I am!_

_Hope-Hikari: Thanks! Was there anyone else in the room with you? That would have been a little weird to have someone laughing like that randomly…_

_Perseus Jackson Rules: Thanks for the constructive criticism! I do realize that, but remember he's just got out of Tarturus, and yeah… I like to think of Nico and Thalia's Percy-bashing as cousins teasing each other. It may be a bit harsh, but I do that to my brother, and he does that to me. Yeah, and that is so true about Leo. I mean, he's not a complete idiot. Thanks!_

_Howlsong12: In time… just be patient. _

_Nico's Girlfriend1: Thanks, yeah. I totally had a brain fade right then._

**Everyone who reviewed/favorite/followed here you go. Cyber goodies: **(::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#) (::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#) (::) !

**Rick Riordan owns anything to do with PJO: the characters, book, etc. etc.**

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He shrugged, "As long as it's not in English." He opened the book. "Let's see, Thalia Torches New England."

He thought in his head, wow coincidence much?

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**Artermis assured me that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me.**

"Yes well, my brother is quite lazy during the winter," Artermis said.

"Yeah, well, it's all cold and stuff in winter!" Apollo complained.

"It might not be cold if someone hadn't kidnapped my daughter!" Demeter basically shouted.

Percy glared at Hades as if saying, _don't reply_. Hades opened his mouth right when Percy said loudly, "Leo freaking read already."

**It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the di Angelo's and Dr. Thorn were missing yet.**

"Probably not," little Annabeth said.

L. Percy looked confused, "Why not?"

"The mist."

"Oh…. Yeah, I knew that."

"Sure you did," she finished smirking.

**I didn't want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember was "Percy Jackson," and then I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt… again.**

L. Percy's eyes widened and he managed to squeak out, "Again? National manhunt again?"

Percy smiled halfheartedly at everyone, who looked a little shocked, "Yeah. How about after this chapter I explain everything that happened in my first two quests? Okay, yeah." He motioned Leo to continue.

**The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.**

Nico nodded bitterly. Hazel showed the sadness in her eyes, she hated seeing her brother like that. After all, she owed him her life.

**Thalia and Grover came up and huddled around me, anxious to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess.**

**When I told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."**

**"How'd they even show up here?" I wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."**

**"And Bianca joined them," Thalia said, disgusted. "It's all Zoe's fault. That stuck-up, no good—"**

Percy snorted. Thalia and Artemis both switched their stares to him. "What? I mean, I've met a lot worse than her. For example: Ares, or Mars. Whichever."

Ares glared at Percy, "Punk, don't talk about me in my Roman form right now or it won't turn out good for you. Got it?"

Percy shrugged, looking as though the war god hadn't just threatened him.

**"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.**

Artemis rolled her eyes.

**Thalia rolled her eyes.**

Thalia looked at Artemis in shock, while Percy and Leo were stifling their snickers.

**"You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"**

"You sound so… so… heartless," Frank mentioned.

"Yeah, we weren't on good conditions," Thalia grimaced.

**"But she's so… into nature," Grover swooned.**

**"You're nuts," said Thalia.**

**"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."**

"Gods," Leo laughed. "He _is_ nuts."

Jason looked at him, "So are you."

**Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."**

**"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I asked.**

**"For my brother. Yes."**

**I didn't want to be rude. I mean, I knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimes Helios—driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But I also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. I'd gotten used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still… I didn't see how Apollo could drive the sun.**

**"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said, like she was reading my mind.**

"Maybe I do," Artemis replied, her smile almost non-existent. (1)

"**Oh, okay." I started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—"**

**There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.**

**"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."**

**Parks?**

**I averted my eyes, and saw that the other kids were doing the same. The light and warmth intensified until my winter coat felt like it was melting off of me. Then suddenly the light died.**

**I looked. And I couldn't believe it. It was my car. Well, the car I wanted, anyway. A red convertible Maserati Spyder.**

Leo looked up to Apollo, "You have one of those?"

"I guess." He replied.

**It was so awesome it glowed.**

"I'm pretty sure it's glowing because it's hot and not because it's awesome. Even though, I have to admit, it is a pretty sweet ride," Thalia said.

**Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot. The snow had melted around the Maserati in a perfect circle, which explained why I was now standing on green grass and my shoes were wet.**

**The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and for a second, I had the uneasy feeling it was Luke, my old enemy.**

"Percy? Older Percy, I guess?" Little Annabeth called to him.

He looked down at her, "Yeah?" He frowning at the mention of Luke, but plastered a small smile on his face when he looked at Annabeth.

"Luke's not really bad is he?"

Percy sighed. _How the __κόλαση__ was he supposed to explain this?_

"Umm, yes, he does turn bad. But, it's not really him. His mind was plagued by a really _really_ bad person. That person made him believe the gods were evil and horrible and all this nasty stuff. It may have been… uh, true a little. But, he over exaggerated."

Annabeth nodded glumly and rested head on Little Percy's shoulder who was now sitting next to his older version.

Meanwhile, Thalia and Nico looked at Percy in shock. It was just how he explained it, without giving almost anything away.

"Leo," Percy said quietly. "Can you read?"

**This guy had the same sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. But it wasn't Luke. This guy was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke's. His smile was brighter and more playful. (Luke didn't do much more than scowl and sneer these days.)**

Annabeth whimpered a little.

**The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.**

**"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."**

"I thought you were a hunter?" Piper said.

"I wasn't yet," Thalia said looking utterly disgusted at the look Apollo was giving her.

**"He's the sun god," I said.**

"That's not what she meant!" Apollo sang joyfully.

Thalia had her bow out in a second and pointed it at Apollo.

"Do want to say anything else like that about me again?" Thalia asked with a hard voice.

Apollo sat down and muttered an incoherent sorry at Thalia, Jason, and Zeus's glare.

**"That's not what I meant."**

**"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"**

"I am not your little sister!"

"Whatever you say little sis."

Athena looked at them, "Be quiet. We are trying to read."

**Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister."**

The gods, sans Artemis and Apollo, sighed exasperated.

**"Hey, I was born first."**

**"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—"**

**"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?"**

Thalia grit her teeth.

**Artemis grit her teeth. (2) "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."**

**"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."**

**The Hunters all groaned. Apparently they'd met Apollo before.**

"Hey! My haikus are good!" Apollo complained.

The Greek big three kids winced, all in unison. They seemed to have mental argument.

Percy-_ I can't piss him off. He's one of the gods on my side._

Nico- _He's the god of sunshine. I'm a kid of like, a lot of dark things… enough said._

Thalia- _I don't want to point it out._ Percy and Nico raised their eyebrows.

Thalia- _Fine._

"Not really Apollo. But you're going to ignore me, so whatever helps you sleep at night," Thalia said impatiently. "Leo?

Apollo looked a little put off, but settled to listen to Leo.

**He cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.**

**"_Green grass breaks through snow._**

**_Artemis pleads for my help._**

**_I am so cool."_**

Apollo grinned, "OoOh, that's a good one!"

**He grinned at us, waiting for applause.**

**"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.**

"Spoil sport," Apollo mumbled under his breath.

**Apollo frowned. "Was it?"**

**"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"**

Everybody but Apollo started laughing.

Apollo looked at Hermes laughing.  
"Traitor," he mumbled.

**"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.**

**Zoe Nightshade turned to us. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, _There once was a goddess from Sparta—"_**

"Those were good too!"

**"I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!" He bowed, looking very pleased with himself.**

"Why is he proud?" Athena asked with a look of fake innocence on her face.  
Everyone laughed again, while Apollo realized something, "You just said a joke! Even if it was making fun of me, you still made a joke!"

**"And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll."**

**"These demigods will also need a ride," Artemis said, pointing to us. "Some of Chiron's campers."**

**"No problem!" Apollo checked us out. "Let's see… Thalia, right? I've heard all about you."**

**Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."**

Thalia growled at Hermes, who had opened his mouth, "Nobody says a word."

**"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half-sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—"**

**"Brother," Artemis said. "You should get going."**

**"Oh, right." Then he looked at me, and his eyes narrowed. "Percy Jackson?"**

**"Yeah. I mean… yes, sir."**

**It seemed weird calling a teenager "sir," but I'd learned to be careful with immortals. They tended to get offended easily. Then they blew stuff up.**

Percy, Thalia, and Nico started laughing. "That- is- so- true!" Thalia gasped out. The other demigods would have laughed, but didn't want to offend the gods.

**Apollo studied me, but he didn't say anything, which I found a little creepy.**

"Stop being a creeper Apollo!" Hermes yelled.

**"Well!" he said at last. "We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it."**

**I looked at the Maserati, which would seat two people max. There were about twenty of us.**

**"Cool car," Nico said.**

**"Thanks, kid," Apollo said.**

**"But how will we all fit?"**

**"Oh." Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time.**

"Knowing him, he probably did just realize it," Artemis said.

"Nuh uh!" he protested.

**"Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose…"**

**He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button. Chirp, chirp.**

**For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses like we used for school basketball games.**

Thalia and Nico looked at Percy. "You play basketball?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, probably a little rusty right now though…" he trailed off in reply.

"Why?" Athena asked. "Don't they have basketball courts at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Uh… yeah." Percy looked a little nervous about where this conversation was headed.

"Then why are you rusty?"

"Leo?" Percy squeaked.

Leo didn't notice Percy's plea to start reading though. He, along with everybody else, wanted to know where Percy had been to get so badly injured when he had gotten here.

Percy sighed through his nose, "You know how there was that note? It said you-know-where instead of saying T-I mean- where I was. So obviously you guys aren't supposed to know yet. Kay?"

**"Right," he said. "Everybody in."**

**Zoe ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."**

Artemis growled threateningly at her brother.

**Zoe recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.**

**"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart."**

**Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?"**

**"Hunting," Artemis said. "It's none of your business."**

**"I'll find out. I see all. Know all."**

Artemis snorted.

**Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!"**

**"No, no! I never mess around."**

Zeus rolled his eyes.

**Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at us. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoe, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."**

**Zoe straightened. "Yes, my lady."**

**Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found."**

**She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.**

**Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. "So," he said. "Who wants to drive?"**

**"Honestly brother? I said no messing around!" Artemis said.**

**The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo and the rest of us highly infectious males, Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front with us, which seemed cold to me, but Nico didn't seem to mind.**

Nico growled. Hazel scowled.

**"This is so cool!" Nico said, jumping up and down in the driver's seat. "Is this really the sun? I thought Helios and Selene were the sun and moon gods. How come sometimes it's them and sometimes it's you and Artemis?"**

**"Downsizing," Apollo said. "The Romans started it. They couldn't afford all those temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene and folded their duties into our job descriptions. My sis got the moon. I got the sun. It was pretty annoying at first, but at least I got this cool car."**

**"But how does it work?" Nico asked. "I thought the sun was a big fiery ball of gas!"**

**Apollo chuckled and ruffled Nico's hair. "That rumor probably got started because Artemis used to call me a big fiery ball of gas.**

Artemis shrugged, "It's true."

**Seriously, kid, it depends on whether you're talking astronomy or philosophy. You want to talk astronomy? Bah, what fun is that? You want to talk about how humans think about the sun? Ah, now that's more interesting. They've got a lot riding on the sun… er, so to speak. It keeps them warm, grows their crops, powers engines, makes everything look, well, sunnier. This chariot is built out of human dreams about the sun, kid. It's as old as Western Civilization. Every day, it drives across the sky from east to west, lighting up all those puny little mortal lives. The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it. Make sense?"**

**Nico shook his head. "No."**

People laughed.

Nico smiled slightly, "Still don't really get it."

**"Well then, just think of it as a really powerful, really dangerous solar car."**

**"Can I drive?"**

**"No. Too young."**

**"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand.**

**"Mm, no," Apollo said. "Too furry." He looked past me and focused on Thalia.**

"Sexist, sorta,"Piper mumbled under her breath.

**"Daughter of Zeus!" he said. "Lord of the sky. Perfect."**

**"Oh, no." Thalia shook her head. "No, thanks."**

**"C'mon," Apollo said. "How old are you?"**

**Thalia hesitated. "I don't know."**

**It was sad, but true. She'd been turned into a tree when she was twelve, but that had been seven years ago. So she should be nineteen, if you went by years. But she still felt like she was twelve, and if you looked at her, she seemed somewhere in between. The best Chiron could figure, she had kept aging while in tree form, but much more slowly.**

**Apollo tapped his finger to his lips. "You're fifteen, almost sixteen."**

There was a sharp intake of air from the gods.

"You're about to turn sixteen and you're still alive, how?" Zeus asked.

"I can't spoil it!" Thalia said.

**"How do you know that?"**

**"Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week."**

**"That's my birthday! December twenty-second."**

**"Which means you're old enough now to drive with a learner's permit!"**

**Thalia shifted her feet nervously. "Uh—"**

**"I know what you're going to say," Apollo said. "You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun chariot."**

"That's not what she was going to say," Percy smirked.

**"That's not what I was going to say."**

Thalia looked at him and scooted away.

**"Don't sweat it! Maine to Long Island is a really short trip, and don't worry about what happened to the last kid I trained. You're Zeus's daughter. He's not going to blast you out of the sky."**

Hazel looked at Zeus appalled, "You blasted him out of the sky?"

Zeus shrugged looking guilty.

**Apollo laughed good-naturedly. The rest of us didn't join him.**

**Thalia tried to protest, but Apollo was absolutely not going to take "no" for an answer.**

"She's Zeus's kid! What is she, like, scared of heights?" Hermes asked.

Percy smirked while Thalia paled.

**He hit a button on the dashboard, and a sign popped up along the top of the windshield. I had to read it backward (which, for a dyslexic, really isn't that different than reading forward). I was pretty sure it said WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER.**

"It did," Thalia said looking quite sick now.

**"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!"**

**I'll admit I was jealous.**

Thalia reached over the little kids and punched his shoulder, "I'd be perfectly fine if you'd have volunteered!"

**I couldn't wait to start driving. A couple of times that fall, my mom had taken me out to Montauk when the beach road was empty, and she'd let me try out her Mazda. I mean, yeah, that was a Japanese compact, and this was the sun chariot, but how different could it be?**

"Pretty different," Thalia said.

**"Speed equals heat," Apollo advised. "So start slowly, and make sure you've got good altitude before you really open her up."**

**Thalia gripped the wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. She looked like she was going to be sick.**

**"What's wrong?" I asked her.**

**"Nothing," she said shakily. "N-nothing is wrong."**

"I know what's wrong now!" Percy whispered loudly.

"Would you shut up?!" Thalia whispered back.

**She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast I fell back and crashed against something soft.**

**"Ow" Grover said.**

**"Sorry."**

**"Slower!" Apollo said.**

**"Sorry!" Thalia said. "I've got it under control!"**

**I managed to get to my feet. Looking out the window, I saw a smoking ring of trees from the clearing where we'd taken off.**

**"Thalia," I said, "lighten up on the accelerator."**

**"I've got it, Percy," she said, gritting her teeth. But she kept it floored.**

**"Loosen up," I told her.**

**"I'm loose!" Thalia said. She was so stiff she looked like she was made out of plywood.**

"A reference to wood with me? Really Percy?" Thalia said.

**"We need to veer south for Long Island," Apollo said. "Hang a left."**

**Thalia jerked the wheel and again threw me into Grover, who yelped.**

**"The other left," Apollo suggested.**

**I made the mistake of looking out the window again. We were at airplane height now—so high the sky was starting to look black.**

**"Ah…" Apollo said, and I got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm. "A little lower, sweetheart. Cape Cod is freezing over."**

**Thalia tilted the wheel. Her face was chalk white, her forehead beaded with sweat. Something was definitely wrong. I'd never seen her like this.**

**The bus pitched down and somebody screamed. Maybe it was me.**

People laughed, including Percy, but Thalia blushed slightly.

**Now we were heading straight toward the Atlantic Ocean at a thousand miles an hour, the New England coastline off to our right. And it was getting hot in the bus.**

**Apollo had been thrown somewhere in the back of the bus, but he started climbing up the rows of seats.**

**"Take the wheel!" Grover begged him.**

**"No worries," Apollo said. He looked plenty worried. "She just has to learn to—WHOA!"**

**I saw what he was seeing. Down below us was a little snow-covered New England town. At least, it used to be snow-covered. As I watched, the snow melted off the trees and the roofs and the lawns. The white steeple on a church turned brown and started to smolder. Little plumes of smoke, like birthday candles, were popping up all over the town. Trees and rooftops were catching fire.**

Leo's shoulder started smoking the tiniest bit, but Percy reached over and patted it out.

"Thanks," he muttered. Percy nodded slightly.

**"Pull up!" I yelled.**

"Kelp head, you do know that wasn't helping, right?"

"Now I do!" Percy smiled cheekily at Thalia.

**There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes. She yanked back on the wheel, and I held on this time. As we zoomed up, I could see through the back window that the fires in the town were being snuffed out by the sudden blast of cold.**

**"There!" Apollo pointed. "Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down, dear. 'Dead' is only an expression."**

Some people laughed.

**Thalia was thundering toward the coastline of northern Long Island. There was Camp Half-Blood: the valley, the woods, the beach. I could see the dining pavilion and cabins and the amphitheater.**

**"I'm under control," Thalia muttered. "I'm under control."**

**We were only a few hundred yards away now.**

**"Brake," Apollo said.**

**"I can do this."**

**"BRAKE!"**

**Thalia slammed her foot on the brake, and the sun bus pitched forward at a forty-five-degree angle, slamming into the Camp Half-Blood canoe lake with a huge FLOOOOOOSH! Steam billowed up, sending several frightened naiads scrambling out of the water with half-woven wicker baskets.**

"Now I know why they have, like, leaf blowers at Camp for people who fall in the lake," Piper mused.

Thalia and Nico grinned. "Oh no, that's not because of this. Though that may be one reason." They wiggled their eyebrows at Percy, who blushed.

**The bus bobbed to the surface, along with a couple of capsized, half-melted canoes.**

**"Well," said Apollo with a brave smile. "You were right, my dear. You had everything under control! Let's go see if we boiled anyone important, shall we?"**

"I hope not," Leo said. "Anyways, chapters over… Percy, I believe you have a story to tell?"

"Alright then," he started. "I was twelve when I went to camp. The night I got there the Minotaur intercepted my mom, Grover, and I. Somehow, I defeated it. That's why I have the Minotaur horn in my cabin. Anyway, I had the whole thing at camp; you know being claimed, when the weather got really weird. Turns out, Zeus's master bolt had been stolen. I went on a quest with Annabeth and Grover to get it back. The furies came after us, then Medusa, the then the chimera, I retrieved Ares's shield for him… from one of Hephaestus's traps. We then got stuck in the Lotus hotel for five days, then ran into Procrustes, then went to the Underworld, came back out after finding out I had the bolt the whole time. Then battled Ares for Hades' helm, return both powerful objects to their rightful owners and finally got stung by a pit scorpion from Tarturus."

Percy took a deep breath when someone interrupted him.

"Who took the objects?"

He glanced at Thalia who shook her head.

"Luke." He continued before anyone could explode. "I had become friends with a Cyclops who actually kept monsters away from me. But then some Cana-"he caught himself looking at Frank, who had his eyebrows raised, "I mean, laistrygonians had attacked me. Annabeth and Tyson-the Cyclops- helped me kill them. Went back to camp which was being attacked by the Colchis bulls, defeated those, Tyson got claimed by Poseidon, Thalia's tree was poisoned, with Hermes's help snuck away from camp to help rescue the Golden Fleece and Grover, ran into a hydra, Clarisse-a daughter of Ares- helped kill it with a bunch of dead confederates, got into the Sea of Monsters which destroyed Clarisse's boat, Annabeth and I turned up on Circe's Island, Annabeth listened to the Sirens, we defeated Polyphemus with Tyson, Grover and Clarisse's help, return to camp, Thalia comes back to life, then went home for the year…. Anybody gave some water?" Percy came to a finish.

Everybody was staring at him. A lot of people wanted to meet his friend Annabeth too.

"Sooooo…. Who's gonna read next? Frank? Great! Here ya go, buddy!" Percy took the book out of Leo's hands and gave them to Frank.

That seemed to snap a lot of people out of their reverie.

Frank turned to the right page and read, "Chapter 5 I Place an Underwater Call

(::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#) _**LINE BREAK**_ (::) (#) (::) (#)(::) (#) (::) (#) (::)

**Does anybody ever imagine Artemis with a British accent? I do, I'm not quite sure why though. It's really weird.**

**I didn't even see that when I wrote the sentence before it.**

**Ok, well I guess I should I give some credit to ninja4eva cause I took the wording from there, but not the dialogue. Her story is really good. You don't have to check it out, but I recommend it. I hope no one gets mad at me because of this. When I started to write out the chapter it was taking too long and had told myself I would at least get the wording done. It was really late and… yeah. So some of it is me, most of it is hers though.**

**So, there's the chapter! Umm, I was wondering if anyone, (to help me update the chapter faster) would like write out the book part and email it or PM it to me. It could be a little community story. I have checked the rules and I am not breaking any of which I understand (which is all of them). Or if you know a site that could help me or something.**

**Κόλαση = hell**

**IamTiffanyDaughterOfHermes, signing out for the night**

**P.S. R&R is a nice thing to do!**


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